Transient Vision Loss Identifying It May Save Your Life

By Samuel H. Yun, MD

Samuel H. Yun Ophthalmology, PLC

. https://www.yuneyecare.com/

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Transient Vision Loss Identifying It May Save Your Life

They say that eyes are the windows to the souls, but did you also know that they are windows to the rest of the body? Transient vision loss can present in many different ways, but usually entails temporary greying, dimming, or a fuzzing sensation in your vision that tends to last for only seconds. It is one of many ways the eye can tell you that there might be something wrong with the rest of the body.

Eye providers can examine your eyes to determine if there are other diseases in the body that we should be concerned about. Many common diseases such as hypertension and diabetes can be seen in the back of the eyes. Even rare diseases that cause high pressure in the brain can manifest in the eyes as well.

Among these diseases is retinal artery occlusion in the eyes, which is analogous to having a mini-stroke in the eye. Depending on the location and size of the blockage, this mini-stroke can cause transient to complete loss of vision in one or both eyes. These blockages can be caused by showers of tiny emboli or blood clots dislodged from either your neck arteries or even your heart. Of course, if the clots travelled to your eyes, they can go to your brain and cause a debilitating stroke.

So how likely are you to get a stroke if you have a retinal artery occlusion in the eye? A recent study showed that if you have a retinal artery occlusion in the large vessel of the eye, you are about 45 times more likely to have a stroke in the brain within a week. Sometimes these strokes can be silent, and you may not recognize them until later. Then what can we do to prevent them?

When you get transient dimming, greying, or a fuzzing sensation in your eyes or if you lose vision completely in one eye, please do not ignore the symptoms. Contact your local eye provider immediately and ask for an urgent evaluation. Your providers will be able to examine your eyes and, if needed, refer you to a retina specialist who can accurately diagnose if you have experienced a mini-stroke in the eye. Doing so will save not only your vision, but perhaps also your life.