Central retinal artery occlusion is an occlusion by a fibrin-platelet like thrombus or embolus, which results to reduced perfusion to the retina. This also leads to a painless visual loss that most often than not is irreversible. Similar to ischemic heart disease or stroke, pure cholesterol emboli or a platelet fibrin clot causes retinal ischemia due to central retinal artery occlusion.  Now, atherosclerotic disease is the ultimate source for emboli as well as thrombi, which is why, the same risk factors accompanying atherosclerotic disease are the same ones prevalent in the patients who have central retinal artery occlusion.

Due to its pathogenesis, central retinal artery occlusion is similar to other vascular diseases like cerebrovascular disease and ischemic heart disease in terms of risk factors. According to the study of stroke and heart diseases, after a sentinel vascular occurrence, a patient is very likely to develop other subsequent vascular events. The same ting applies to Central retinal artery occlusion; following it might be even more serious vascular attacks, currently, managing Central retinal artery occlusion means, preventing a secondary ischemic attack. At presentation, the most prevalent risk factor is Hypertension but a considerable number of people had carotid artery stenoses that needed immediate intervention and those with 50-69% stenoses were also amenable to intervention.

Apart from the fact that there are risk factors documented before presenting central retinal artery occlusion, some people ad undiagnosed vascular risk factors. Some even needed to escalate their anti-hypersensitive medication or add more vascular preventative medication instead. It has not yet been proven that anti-hypersensitive, cholesterol lowering agents or anti-platelets actually do lower the risk of central retinal artery occlusion but they are still accepted as standard clinical medication for preventing stroke and ischemic heart disease.

Because it’s a disease process, central retinal artery occlusion is considered an ocular emergency but, treatment is limited because there is lack of effective acute treatments that are supported by actual robust evidence. Together with the low incidence, clinics have ignored any potential for secondary prevention of stroke, ocular ischemic as well as heart disease. Literature shows that there is pre-existing vascular risk factor before central retinal artery occlusion hypertension in the lead. Controlling such cases is important through either escalating or adding existing macro-vascular preventative medication following central retinal artery occlusion. Most studies have already shown central retinal artery occlusion as a maker for subsequent vascular disease like stroke and ischemic heart disease with significant mortality as well as morbidity and not just a benign disease.