[The relation of retinal vascular occlusion and carotid artery stenosis]

We evaluated carotid ulceration and stenosis in 16 patients with central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO), 13 patients with branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO), and 27 patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). One of three kinds of angiography was selected according to the patient's condition. These included conventional cerebral angiography, intravenous digital subtraction angiography (IVDSA), and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Carotid artery stenosis (50% or greater) was noted in 37.5% (6/16) of the patients with CRAO and in 23.1% (3/13) of the patients with BRAO. Only one of 27 patients with CRVO had a contralateral 50% carotid artery stenosis. In order to detect an underlying systemic disease in evaluating patients with retinal artery occlusion, examination of the carotid vessels is essential. It may also be helpful to estimate the risk of cerebral stroke for patients with retinal stroke.