[Arterial vascular occlusions of the eye following surgical intervention]

In this paper the author reports on 6 patients who developed occlusion of a retinal artery following trauma or surgery. Three of these occlusions occurred in the central retinal artery after operations in the orbital area. Two of the operations were ear-nose-throat procedures with subsequent infection, causing compression of the optic nerve and a decrease in circulation. Two patients probably had genuine embolisms after either a carotid angiography or the removal of an aneurysm complex of the anterior communicating artery. An occlusion of the central retinal artery was also observed in one case after trauma (impact of a fist). All 6 patients experienced a large-scale decrease in visual acuity. When there is a risk of embolism or compression of the optic nerve, prophylactic measures such as a thrombosis prophylaxis or the prompt relief of pressure in the orbit should be considered.