Temporary blindness in one eye, caused by problems of circulation.
Loss of vision in one eye that lasts for seconds to minutes for up to 24 hours. The visual loss from amaurosis fugax is often described as if a curtain is coming down from above or across the field of vision. The usual cause is a spasm or blockage in a small blood vessel leading to a lack of blood in the retina (the light-sensitive layer in the back of the eye). The condition can be a sign that a person is at increased risk for stroke.
Loss of vision in one eye that lasts for seconds to minutes and may last for up to 24 hours. Visual loss is often described as if a curtain is coming down from above or across the field of vision. The usual cause is a spasm or blockage in a small blood vessel leading to a lack of blood in the retina (the light-sensitive layer in the back of the eye). The condition can be a sign that a person is at increased risk for stroke. The name comes from a Greek word (amaurosis) meaning “darkening” and a Latin word (fugax) meaning “fleeting.”
Sudden transitory impairment, or loss, of vision. It usually affects only one eye, and is commonly due to circulatory failure. In its simplest form it occurs in normal people on rising suddenly from the sitting or recumbent position, when it is due to the effects of gravity. It also occurs in migraine. Transient ocular ischaemia may occur in the elderly as a result of blockage of the circulation to the retina by emboli from the common carotid artery or the heart. Treatment in this last group of cases consists of control of the blood pressure if this is raised, as it often is in such cases; and the administration of drugs that reduce the stickiness of blood platelets, such as aspirin. In some instances, removal of the part of the carotid artery from which the emboli are coming may be indicated.
Brief loss of vision, lasting for seconds or minutes, usually affecting one eye only and caused by the temporary blockage of a small blood vessel in the eye by an embolus (a particle of solid matter such as cholesterol or clotted blood). These emboli are carried in the bloodstream from diseased arteries in the neck or, rarely, the heart. Sufferers typically experience a loss or dimming of vision, in one eye only, rather like a shade being pulled down or up.
Episodes of these attacks can vary in frequency, ranging from infrequent occurrences to multiple episodes within a single day. A higher frequency of these attacks indicates an elevated risk of stroke and warrants medical examination.