An “eye stroke” is the interruption of blood flow to the eyeball or the optic nerve. This can be caused by clotting or narrowing of the blood vessels. Underlying risk factors for an eye stroke include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease. These are the same causes for heart attack or stroke in the brain, and therefore an eye stroke should be taken seriously as it could a sign of a more life-threatening condition.
Eye stroke is accompanied by sudden vision loss. If you experience this symptom, contact your ophthalmologist for an urgent dilated eye exam.