Ocular massage in a case of central retinal artery occlusion the successful treatment of a hitherto undescribed type of embolism.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of central retinal artery occlusions (CRAO) varies, depending upon the underlying disease. An embolic origin of an occlusion often occurs. PATIENT AND METHODS: A 50-year-old man with an occlusion of the left internal carotid artery was examined because of a left central retinal artery occlusion. Fluorescein angiography revealed that in no blood vessel could any circulation of blood be demonstrated. The slight vascular filling with dye mainly came from collateral circulation at the disc. RESULTS: Ocular massage was carried out. After a delay of several minutes, the vessels of the fundus became increasingly filled with blood. The patient noticed continuing recovery in the vision of his left eye. During fluorescein angiography, carried out one day later, white embolic clots appeared in the arteries of the papilla, some of them moving with the velocity of the blood flow through the retinal vessels and reaching the periphery of the retina and immediately disappearing. Others moved more slowly. This was seen repeatedly over several minutes. CONCLUSIONS: In this patient we have recorded in a fluorescein angiogram bright boluses visible in the blood of the retinal arteries. We suggest that conglomerations of blood cells can also cause an obstruction of blood flow. The observation of this kind of bright clots (boluses) visible in the blood of the retinal arteries we did not find described in the literature. In such a situation ocular massage is extremely helpful. Therefore, ocular massage should be carried out in every patient with CRAO.