I'm at risk for a stroke?
This patient reported a transient loss of vision, right eye. He has a history of systemic hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and borderline type 2 diabetes. He reported that he was taking his medications as prescribed. The image was taken the day of his exam. The image revealed bleeding and swelling in the retina. This type of presentation is highly suggestive of severe reduction of blood flow to the retina, likely due to obstruction of his carotid (neck) artery. The patient was immediately referred to get an ultrasound study of his carotid arteries. If left unchecked, he is at risk for developing a stroke in the brain. His mortality rate is 40% at five years. This is another example of the importance of proactive eye care to prevent vision loss and to detect life-threatening systemic diseases.
