Embolism of Central Retinal Artery

Abstract

Although it has now been a century since Schweigger provided histopathologic proof that von Graefe's first description of embolism of the central retinal artery was correct, few well-documented cases are on record and it is generally believed today that obstruction of this vessel with the sudden onset of blindness in the affected eye is rarely the result of an embolus.^1,2 It is the purpose of this report to record a case in which unilateral blindness occurred suddenly in a patient hospitalized because of a recent myocardial infarction. Report of Case * Clinical History. —A 59-year-old white man was admitted to the hospital for treatment of symptoms of acute myocardial infarction. He had been hospitalized three years before, also because of severe myocardial infarction, and since then had been on digitalis. Ten days after admission, while in the hospital, he complained of inability to see with his left eye. An ophthalmological