Eye Stroke: Symptoms, Causes, Risks, And Treatments

An eye stroke (anterior ischemic optic neuropathy) is a threatening and possibly enfeebling condition that takes place due to insufficient blood flow to the tissues found in the forepart of the optic nerve. Eye stroke symptoms commonly include loss of vision and sensitivity to light. There are many ways to prevent vision loss but laser eye surgery needs less recovery time compared to others. You can go to Eye Laser Specialists’ clinic in Melbourne, VIC if you experience early symptoms.

What Causes Eye Stroke

When the optic nerve fails to deliver sufficient nerve fibers and blood vessels into the brain, an eye stroke typically follows. In some cases, the optic nerve gets totally blocked, but the most common cause is when there is a lack of pressure on the tissue. Because of this, the pressure of blood in the eyes will change and the blood flow will be affected. When this happens, the nerve tissue will be damaged leading to vision loss.

Eye Stroke Symptoms

Many eye stroke patients could attest to the fact that the first symptom of eye stroke is losing their vision in one eye. This happens out of the blue and is painless as well.

The symptoms also include loss of peripheral vision or having blind spots and seeing floaters all of a sudden. Blurred and contorted vision may also occur. These symptoms often start in a mild manner and gradually become worse after a few hours or days. In the long run, sensitivity to light will also persist.

Vision loss is also a part of cerebral stroke symptoms, so in order to confirm and verify your condition, it would be wise to consult an eye doctor right away.

Neglecting the symptoms might cause multiple complications and irreversible damages.

Risk Factors

This condition can happen to anyone. However, you may not be aware but certain conditions can put you at risk of an eye stroke. According to studies, all of us are at risk of eye stroke as we age, additionally, it is also more common in men than in women.

Here are some of the conditions that could increase the risk of eye stroke:

• glaucoma
• high cholesterol, blood pressure problems, abnormal blood low
• diabetes
• heart diseases
• issues in the artery particularly in the neck
• blood disorders

Moreover, smoking can also increase the risk of eye and other types of stroke. If you are suddenly experiencing eye stroke symptoms, visit an eye doctor and explain your health conditions as well.

Diagnosis

During your appointment, make sure to thoroughly discuss all the symptoms that you experience with the eye doctor. This will help them determine if you are at risk of eye complications. The eye doctor will conduct series of eye examinations to check the condition of your eyes by using an ophthalmoscope.

The diagnostic test may also include the following:

1. Fluorescein angiography. Injecting a dye in the arm to spot the blood vessels in the eye.
2. Optical coherence tomography. To see if the retina is swollen or not.

If you are aware of your other health issues like glaucoma, diabetes, or high blood pressure, do not hesitate to inform your doctor. On the contrary, he might suggest tests for the risk factors of eye stroke to check the root cause of your condition.

Treatments for Eye Stroke

Before undergoing any eye stroke treatments, your doctor will consider your underlying conditions initially. This is to guarantee that your health issues will not affect the treatment and your recovery.

Your loss of vision and other symptoms of eye stroke can be treated by the following therapies:

• eye massage to open up the retina
• drug prescriptions to fix the clogs in your nerves
• eye injections such as anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs and corticosteroids
• pan-retinal photocoagulation therapy for patients who developed a new blood vessel following the eye troke
• eye laser surgery, a vision correction procedure that is also used to treat astigmatism

Eye specialists highly suggest that it would be better if patients will start their treatments immediately. Neglected eye stroke can result in many complications which may even cause more damage to the eyes.

Complications

Without eye treatment, you might suffer from the following complications:

• Inflammation. This usually takes place in the macula or the center of the retina. The macula is an important part of the eye as it is responsible for giving you a sharp vision. If it’s inflamed, blurriness and vision loss may occur.
• Development of abnormal blood vessels. This greatly affects the retina and causes serious problems in the eye.
• Glaucoma. You will experience pain because of the unbearable pressure in the eye due to the emergence of new blood vessels.
• Worst case scenario, blindness.

These complications only indicate that it’s important to not ignore the symptoms of eye stroke. Be more cautious with the changes in your vision and always consult a professional who specializes in issues in the eye.

Preventing Eye Stroke

Generally speaking, we cannot fully prevent eye stroke from happening to us. Most especially if you are previously diagnosed with risk factors that could increase your chance of getting it. But on the brighter side, there are certain things that we can do to lower that probability and save ourselves from this condition:

• If you are diabetic, monitor your condition and always follow your doctor’s advice to keep your blood glucose in the healthy range.
• Do not disregard your glaucoma. Manage your glaucoma by taking your prescribed medication to reduce the pressure in your eyes.
• Find a way to regulate your blood pressure. The best way to avoid high blood pressure is by living a healthy lifestyle, incorporate physical activities into your daily routine, and be sure to take your medication. High blood pressure does not only put you at risk of eye stroke but of all types of strokes as well.
• Stop smoking if possible. Just like high blood pressure, smoking can increase your chances of getting a stroke.

Our eyes are one of the most valuable parts of our body. It enables us to see, appreciate, and function properly. So whenever you notice something strange in your vision, act promptly and consult a doctor or ophthalmologist as soon as possible.