They affect one in 10,000 people, but they are rarely diagnosed correctly. So what exactly is an “eye stroke”? And how would you recognise the onset of one?

Like some strokes in the brain, an eye stroke is caused by a sudden loss of blood. But in the case of an eye stroke the source is not a blocked artery, but rather a drop in blood pressure cutting off the supply to the optic nerve. Depriving the optic nerve of oxygen results in a damaged nerve causing visual disturbance.

First signs most often include a white “spot” appearing in the central field of vision and a blurring or loss of peripheral vision. It can leave a patient blind, and there is a 30 per cent risk of it happening in the second eye.

Those at risk are primarily people with poor circulation already, but the condition is often misdiagnosed, with sufferers often wrongly being told they have macular degeneration or glaucoma. Part of the problem is that there is no national protocol for diagnosis or treatment.

Sources:

1. Medical News Today:
   Everything you should know about eye stroke.