Rate of strokes 1 year after retinal artery occlusion with analysis of risk groups.

Background: The risk of developing stroke after retinal artery occlusion was reported to be increased. The aim of our study was to assess the rate of strokes/transitory ischemic attacks after retinal artery occlusion in a European population and to identify the risk groups.

Methods: All patients, diagnosed with branch or central retinal artery occlusion at our outpatient department since 2014, were asked to participate in this prospective case-control study. At the initial examination, the medical history was documented and 1 year after retinal artery occlusion, patients were called by telephone interview for assessment of the rate of strokes/transitory ischemic attack in the follow-up period.

Results: In all, 30 eyes of 30 patients could be included. Among these, six patients had a stroke, one a transitory ischemic attack, and one an amaurosis fugax in the medical history before retinal artery occlusion. In the period 1 year after retinal artery occlusion, one patient had a re-stroke and one patient had a transitory ischemic attack, with amaurosis fugax in the medical history. Rates of strokes/transitory ischemic attack before and after retinal artery occlusion did not show significant differences between branch and central artery occlusion.

Conclusion: The number of strokes/transitory ischemic attacks within the first year is relatively low after retinal artery occlusion and patients that already had a previous stroke, transitory ischemic attack, and/or amaurosis fugax before retinal artery occlusion seem to have a higher risk for a cerebrovascular event after retinal artery occlusion.