Retinal ischemia is a broad term for chronic reduced blood flow to the eye.

Cause

There are many causes of retinal ischemia, including vein and artery occlusions, macular degeneration, diabetes and more.

Symptoms

When retinal ischemia impacts the peripheral retina, you may not have many visual symptoms, or you may notice a wedge out of your peripheral vision.  When retinal ischemia is located in the mid and center area of your retina, you may notice a significant decrease in your vision.

Diagnosis

Retinal ischemia is diagnosed by a dilated retina examination, including fluorescein angiogram which are special pictures that give the doctor information about the blood flow in your eye, an optical coherence tomography scan to view the layers of the retina to check for swelling, fluid or blood in the center of the retina, and possibly an ultrasound of the eye when bleeding is preventing the doctor from having a view inside of your eye.

Treatment

Treatment for retinal ischemia will depend on the cause, however, you commonly will benefit from injections of medication into the eye, that reduce swelling, and cause regression of abnormal blood vessels.

Prevention

A healthy lifestyle and regular medical examinations may help you prevent many complications of retinal ischemia.  There is no sure way to prevent all forms of this disorder.  Treatment is usually successful in slowing or stopping the progression of retinal ischemia. 

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