2023-04-23 06:00:00
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VonAndreas Beez
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Doctors at the Munich University Hospital warn of an eye attack. threatened with blindness. In addition, the risk of stroke and heart attack is greatly increased afterwards.
The disease sets off alarm bells for ophthalmologists and emergency physicians: an ocular infarction is a dangerous emergency that requires quick and decisive action. The medical background: “During an eye attack, the central artery that supplies the retina with oxygen closes,” explains Professor Siegfried Priglinger, Director of the Eye Clinic at the LMU Clinic in Munich. Already after two to four hours there is a risk of irreversible damage up to and including blindness. “Therefore, if you suspect an eye attack, you should immediately call the emergency number 112 and have yourself taken to an eye clinic.”
Insidious eye infarction: It does not cause pain
The insidious thing about an eye attack: it usually does not cause any pain. In most cases only one eye is affected. Patients often report blurred vision and a haze over the eyes. In addition, the field of vision is also significantly restricted, and the affected person perceives black spots. Vision diminishes and deteriorates dramatically. Sometimes you can’t see anything at all for a few seconds or minutes from one moment to the next before the eye seems to recover – but only temporarily.
Therefore, an eye infarction is also referred to as a stroke of the eye
Researches eye infarctions and heads the glaucoma outpatient clinic at LMU Klinikum: Dr. Marc Mackert.
© private
If the oxygen supply to the retina is interrupted, tissue dies – similar to what happens in a so-called ischemic stroke in the brain. “That’s why an eye attack is also referred to as a stroke of the eye,” explains Dr. Marc Mackert, head of the glaucoma outpatient department at the LMU Klinikum Munich. He is currently researching together with colleagues as part of a study on the dreaded disease. The scientists essentially want to find out whether the vascular occlusion of the central artery – similar to that after a stroke – can be dissolved by thrombolysis.
The patients are treated with thrombolysis
This photo shows an occlusion of the central artery that supplies oxygen to the retina of the eye.
© LMU Clinic
In the case of thrombolysis, the patient receives blood-thinning infusions – provided he is not already taking blood-thinning medication such as Marcumar or modern follow-up preparations such as Xarelto, Pradaxa, Eliquis or Lixiana. However, the therapy is only possible up to a maximum of four and a half hours after the stroke. After that, the chance of saving brain tissue becomes very small – and at the same time the risk of bleeding is too great.
Study examines whether blood-thinning drugs can save retinal tissue
As part of the so-called REVISION study, it should become clear whether thrombolysis can save the retina. “So far there is no effective therapy against central artery occlusion,” explains Dr. Mackert. “Only the causes of this vascular occlusion can be found out and treated, for example cardiac arrhythmias or calcium deposits in the vessels.”
High risk of stroke shortly after the eye attack
A major goal of ophthalmologists is to protect their eye infarction patients from additional horror diseases. “In the first week after an eye attack, the risk of a stroke or a heart attack is 45 times higher, in the first month it is 15 times higher,” says Dr. Mackert. After all, the disease is rare and affects only a few hundred patients a year.
This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editorial team cannot answer individual questions about clinical pictures.
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