Central retinal artery occlusion following transfemoral cerebral angiography

Whereas most ocular complications following cerebral angiography are benign and transient, central retinal artery occlusion following cerebral angiography produces severe permanent visual deficits in nearly 40% of patients. Physicians ordering and performing cerebral angiography should be aware of this complication, since immediate attention to patients with visual disturbance from central retinal artery occlusion may save useful vision. All previously reported cases of central retinal artery occlusion following cerebral angiography have occurred after direct percutaneous carotid angiography. We report a case of central retinal artery occlusion following transfemoral cerebral angiography using a #5 French catheter and meglumine iothalamate (Conray-60) contrast.