Ocular ischemic syndrome after occlusion of both external carotid arteries.

The ocular ischemic syndrome (OIS) has been reported in association with high-grade stenosis or occlusion of the common carotid artery (CCA) or internal carotid artery (ICA) but never with high-grade stenosis or occlusion of the external carotid artery (ECA) alone. We describe two patients who developed OIS with bilateral occlusion of the ECAs yet patent CCAs and ICAs. In one case, unilateral OIS followed consecutive bilateral carotid endarterectomies.

Bilateral simultaneous central retinal artery occlusions in atherosclerosis.

An 82-year-old woman with atherosclerosis developed central retinal artery occlusions (CRAOs) in both eyes within an interval of 5 minutes. There was no evidence of a thromboembolic source, systemic hypotension, vasculitis, migraine, or hypercoagulable state. Virtually simultaneous binocular CRAOs have been rarely reported, and suggest the possibility of a systemic but still undefined "hypercoagulable trigger.