not treated within the first few hours.
“If you suddenly lose vision and it’s painless, think ‘stroke’ and go to the emergency room,” he suggests. “It’s pretty urgent.”
Sobrin and Schrag were co-authors on a 2021 AHA scientific statement advocating for the immediate screening and treatment of CRAO using alteplase, the drug used to dissolve clots causing strokes in the brain. Studies show people with CRAO who are treated with alteplase within 4 1/2 hours of vision loss may have as much as a 50 percent rate of recovery.
Another reason to be seen immediately following a CRAO is that “it’s a sign of serious underlying disease,” Schrag shares. The AHA statement urges immediate screening for other cardiovascular risk factors that require treatment, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, sleep apnea and obesity.
“CRAO is a strong predictor of future heart attacks, strokes or death,” he adds. “So, while this stroke might not kill, the underlying problems might – and require urgent attention.”
Less is known about how to treat strokes that occur in the spine, a rare but dangerous condition, Schrag says.
These can occur because of a blood clot in the arteries leading to the spine. Treatment depends on an individual’s symptoms and may include blood-thinning medication to reduce clotting.
Spinal strokes also may occur during medical procedures if blood pressure drops dramatically or the heart stops and there isn’t enough blood flow, Schrag notes. “Then the solution is to get blood pressure back up before permanent damage can occur.”
RELATED: Using Your Senses To Identify A Stroke
Prevention
In general, the same steps people take to prevent strokes in the brain are those recommended to prevent strokes in the eye or spine. These include eating a healthy diet, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, keeping blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol within the target range, getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night, and taking needed medications as prescribed.
By the American Heart Association