There are diseases that are spoken about everywhere. Among them, stroke and heart attack are considered the most common and at the same time dangerous. Information about these ailments is regularly broadcast on television. It is so simple and understandable that even a person far from medicine can learn it. However, some diseases, despite the frequency of their manifestations, are rarely preferred. One such is eye stroke.
What it is?
For the full functioning of the human body, the visual system plays a huge role. The eye is a paired sensory organ with a branched vascular network. She is responsible for nutrition and metabolic processes. When one of the ophthalmic arteries is blocked, the blood supply to the entire organ is disrupted, which leads to pathological processes of the retina and optic nerve. Such a violation is an eye stroke or occlusion.
The danger of this disease lies in the fact that in most cases (about 30%) it is asymptomatic. Therefore, many perceive minor visual impairment for age-related changes and do not pay due attention to them. Lack of treatment in the early stages significantly reduces the chances of a complete recovery of vision. This pathology is characterized by rapid development. Over time, it can cause a complete loss of visual function.
Risk group
Most often, the disease develops in people of an older age category (after 60 years). In such patients, neurologists note a more severe course of eye stroke.
On the other hand, there are certain risk factors that contribute to the emergence and progression of pathology among people of young and mature age:
- constant and long work at the computer;
- stress, psychological disorders;
- excessive fatigue, physical and mental overwork;
- errors in nutrition (eating excessively salty and spicy foods, fried foods);
- burdened heredity;
- prolonged use of corticosteroids and oral contraceptives;
- addictions.
Main reasons
Ischemic cerebral problems occur against the background of vascular occlusion (blockage by blood clots, emboli) or as a result of prolonged spasm of the vessels of the eyeball, brain and neck. These disorders cause a violation of the blood supply to areas of the brain in the area of ββthe visual lobes, the center of the gaze, or oculomotor centers.
Among other causes of eye stroke, doctors distinguish:
- diseases associated with vascular lesions (atherosclerosis, arrhythmias, endocarditis, hypertension, etc.);
- pathologies that contribute to degenerative changes in the vascular wall (tumors, calcidosis, diabetes mellitus, encephalitis).
Pathogenesis of the disease
The above disorders and diseases lead to the formation of blood clots or emboli. By the latter, it is customary to understand blood clots, bacteria, crystals of calcium, cholesterol. At a certain point, these structures can break away from the walls of the arteries, and together with the blood stream get into the vessels of the eye. In this case, full blood supply is disturbed. If the embolus or thrombus dissolves spontaneously, vision is restored fully or partially. Other unpleasant symptoms of an eye stroke gradually disappear.
Typically, blood clots and emboli, which pose a potential threat to the visual apparatus, occur in the carotid or coronary arteries. Under favorable conditions (infection, allergy, eye injury), the formations break away from the arterial walls and clog the central vessel of the eye.
Clinical picture
The first symptoms of an eye stroke can be seen with the naked eye: there are point hemorrhages or hemorrhages. What other alarming signs should you pay attention to?
- Part of the image of the picture becomes fuzzy. When a healthy eye sees in a radius of 85 degrees, then the patient's peripheral vision becomes worse.
- With a sharp tilt or rotation of the head, βfliesβ and βstarsβ appear in front of the eyes. A person loses the opportunity to consider nearby objects, everything around begins to double.
- Partial or complete loss of vision. The patient develops a cataract, sometimes a clouding of the lens is observed.
If any of the listed signs of a stroke appear, you should consult an ophthalmologist. Only a specialist can correctly diagnose, determine the form of the pathological process. There are several types of ischemic disorders: central occlusion of the arteries, separation of the retinal veins, occlusion of the arteries, and retinal detachment. Consider what each of the options for the disease is in more detail.
Central artery occlusion
This form of the disease develops suddenly, with a violation of the venous outflow from the vessels of the retina. As a rule, it is diagnosed in patients with diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis and with other vascular pathologies. It is noted:
- visual impairment;
- loss of field of vision ;
- problems with determining the clarity of objects;
- the appearance of glare and turbidity.
Symptoms of central artery occlusion occur in proportion to the degree of obstruction. They appear unexpectedly and progress very quickly (from several hours to 2-3 days).
Retinal vein branch
This form of the pathological process is characterized by similar symptoms. Patients complain of the appearance of white spots in front of their eyes. Possible loss of peripheral vision. Usually a stroke affects only one eye. People with high blood pressure are at risk, and venous thrombosis is the main cause of the disease.
The consequences of an eye stroke are very unpleasant. In some patients, swelling appears, complete loss of vision is not ruled out. However, modern treatment methods using laser surgery can get rid of a blood clot, to avoid the development of complications.
Arterial occlusion and retinal detachment
With retinal detachment, arterial occlusion is quite common. This is the most dangerous form of the disease, since in most cases it is asymptomatic.
Its main symptom is the loss of peripheral vision. Pathology often translates into a loss of central vision. Many patients with retinal detachment and arterial occlusion are diagnosed with carotid narrowing , high blood pressure and various heart diseases. With timely treatment, the chances of a full recovery of vision are high enough and make up 80%. However, problems with distorted perception of the picture can still persist.
Medical examination
You should immediately seek medical help if symptoms of artery occlusion and retinal detachment appear. Causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention of these pathological conditions - such issues are touched upon by oculists in their practice. And without the intervention of a neurologist, it is impossible to confirm just a stroke of the visual apparatus.
The latter use the method of fluorescence angiography for diagnosis. The essence of the examination is to assess the condition of the posterior wall of the eyeball. During the procedure, the doctor injects the patient with a special dye solution intravenously. Moreover, in a healthy person, he gives the bottom of the retina a yellowish-greenish tint. In the case of pathology, turbidity becomes clearly visible in the image. To make the picture clearer, the patient is pre-instilled with drops with the effect of expanding the cornea.
The optometrist is engaged in a visual examination of the visual apparatus. If necessary, this specialist also conducts fluorescence angiography. Based on the complete clinical picture, the preliminary diagnosis is confirmed or refuted, after which treatment for eye stroke is prescribed.
Therapy Features
The choice of treatment tactics is largely determined by the form of the disease and the severity of clinical symptoms. As a rule, resort to laser coagulation. This procedure allows you to destroy and completely remove the formed blood clot. As a result, blood circulation is normalized in the damaged area. Laser coagulation is also recommended for the treatment and prevention of retinal detachment.
The causes and symptoms of the disease sometimes require different therapeutic tactics. In this case, the patient is prescribed hyperbaric oxygenation. During the procedure, the patient is placed in an airtight chamber, where oxygen is treated under a certain pressure.
Symptomatic therapy implies the use of drugs to improve blood circulation, normalize blood pressure and eliminate spasm. All drugs are selected individually, taking into account the characteristics of the clinical picture.
To increase the effectiveness of the treatment, doctors strongly recommend that all patients slightly adjust their diet. It is necessary to refuse fatty and fried foods, reduce salt intake. The diet must be varied with fresh vegetables and fruits. Doctors also advise performing elementary gymnastics for the eyes, spending less time watching television programs. The freed up time can be usefully spent walking in the park.
What is the danger of an eye stroke?
Many diseases are unpleasant not only by their manifestations, they are dangerous by subsequent complications. If the patient ignores the symptoms of the disorder and is in no hurry to consult a doctor, serious consequences can occur. This is about:
- violation of color vision;
- the appearance of "flies" before the eyes;
- partial or complete loss of vision.
Even the irreversible changes presented in the latter case can happen to patients with a diagnosis of eye stroke. It is very difficult to say how to restore vision after a developed pathology. With complete loss, this is not possible.
The health of any person and the quality of his life depends on the coordinated work of the main systems of internal organs, in particular the visual apparatus. If its functioning is disturbed, psychological changes occur. In some cases, patients even require outside assistance from specialized specialists. Therefore, when the first symptoms of the disorder are detected, the problem cannot be ignored. You need to immediately contact a doctor, undergo a comprehensive examination, and, if necessary, a course of therapy.