Central Retinal Artery Occlusion Diagnosed via Ocular Point-of-care Ultrasound: Case Report

Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a neurological and ophthalmologic emergency that presents as sudden, painless, monocular vision loss. Central retinal artery occlusion can be classified as arteritic or non-arteritic. Most cases of non-arteritic CRAO are due to embolism, commonly from atherosclerosis of the ipsilateral carotid artery. More proximal sources of embolism are uncommon but can occur. Prompt recognition of CRAO is critical for vision preservation therapy and initiation of ischemic stroke diagnosis protocols.

We present the case of a 66-year-old female who presented to the emergency department eight hours after sudden, painless, monocular vision loss. Her past medical history included type II diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. She had previously undergone bilateral lens replacement for cataracts three years prior and had a history of intermittent floaters, which had been worsening over the previous six months. She denied any associated pain, headache, speech difficulty, focal weakness, and ocular trauma. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) of the affected eye revealed the presence of a retrobulbar spot sign, which is associated with CRAO with a non-arteritic embolic etiology.

Point-of-care ultrasound is an efficient diagnostic tool for the assessment of acute, painless, monocular vision loss. The presence of a retrobulbar spot sign indicates central retinal artery occlusion, providing both diagnostic and prognostic information. Although not a definitive diagnostic tool, POCUS can expedite treatment for patients with central retinal artery occlusion, a diagnosis with a time-sensitive treatment window.