Central Retinal Artery Occlusion with Sparing of a Double Cilioretinal Artery: A Case Report

Case Report

Austin J Clin Ophthalmol. 2023; 10(4): 1152.

Central Retinal Artery Occlusion with Sparing of a Double Cilioretinal Artery: A Case Report

Najoua El Moubarik*; Hamza Lazaar; Kenza Tazi; Saad Bnechekroun; Nourdine Boutimzine; Abdellah Amazouzi; Samira Tachfoufi; lalla Ouafae Cherkaoui

Department of Ophthalmology “A”, Ibn Sina University Hospital (Hôpital des Spécialités), Mohammed V University, Morocco

*Corresponding author: Najoua El Moubarik Department of Ophthalmology “A”, Ibn Sina University Hospital (Hôpital des Spécialités), Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco. Email: najoua.elmoubarik@gmail.com

Received: February 27, 2023 Accepted: April 05, 2023 Published: April 12, 2023

Abstract

Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO) is a rare condition that is functionally life-threatening. It is the equivalent of an ischemic stroke.

The cilio retinal artery is an anatomical variant that allows supplementing the vascularization of the macula in case of occlusion of the central retinal artery.

CRAO consists of the following four distinct clinical entities: non-arteritic CRAO (NA-CRAO), transient NA-CRAO, NA-CRAO with cilioretinal artery sparing, and arteritic CRAO. Clinical characteristics, visual outcome, and management very much depend upon the type of CRAO.

We report the case of a 29-year-old patient, with a history of recurrent angina, who presented with a sudden decrease in visual acuity in his left eye two days before his consultation. The diagnosis of central retinal artery occlusion sparing a double cilioretinal artery was evoked and treated early, allowing a significant visual recovery.

Keywords: CRAO; Cilio retinal artery; Embolic etiology; Urgent management; Functionally prognostic

Introduction

Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO) is a rare condition that is functionally prognostic.

The cilio retinal artery is an anatomical variant present in 20% of the population; it allows supplementing the vascularisation of the macula in case of occlusion of the central retinal artery [1].

Case Report

We report the case of a 29-year-old patient, with a history of recurrent angina, who consulted for a drop in visual acuity in the left eye that occurred suddenly two days before his consultation.

The best visual acuity was 4/10 in the left eye.

The fundus examination revealed an obliteration of the central artery of the left retina with a whitish ischemic retinaledema sparing two horizontal territories: one at the level of the interpapillomacular and macular bundle and the other nasal to the papilla measuring two papillary diameters (Figure 1). The examination of the adelphic eye was normal.