Central Retinal Artery Occlusion in the Emergency Department: A Case Report of Prompt Diagnosis and Treatment

Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is an ocular emergency, and it is equivalent to a stroke in the eye. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been shown to result in visual improvement in CRAO. It maintains oxygenation of the retina by choroidal blood supply, thus decreasing edema, and preserves tissue that is compromised adjacent to the ischemic area. Compared to traditional treatment regimens for CRAO, such as ocular massage, anterior chamber paracentesis, and thrombolysis, which have a risk of hemorrhage, HBOT is less invasive and has a better visual outcome. We present a case of a middle-aged female who presented with sudden, painless loss of vision and was triaged as category 4 as per the Canadian Triage and Acuity scale by a triage nurse and diagnosed as an ophthalmic emergency, CRAO. Early HBOT has improved the visual outcome in follow-up visits after three months.