Arterial Insufficiencies: Central Retinal Artery Occlusion

Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a relatively rare emergent condition of the eye resulting in sudden painless vision loss. This vision loss is usually dramatic and permanent, and the prognosis for visual recovery is poor. Patients particularly at risk include those with giant cell arteritis, atherosclerosis, and thromboembolic disease. A wide variety of treatment modalities have been tried over the last one hundred years with little to no success, with the exception of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO₂).