What Happens When the Carotid Artery is Blocked?
Depending on where the blockage occurs and how complete the blockage is, different symptoms can result: If a piece of cholesterol or a blood clot breaks off from the carotid artery and travels to the eye, the circulation to some part or all of the retina can become affected. A Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO) occurs when the main artery to the retina becomes totally blocked, causing sudden total vision loss. Later complications may include growth of abnormal vessels and bleeding inside the eye, or a severe, painful form of acute glaucoma (high eye pressure). In a Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion (BRAO), one of the smaller branches inside the eye is blocked, and only a portion of the vision may be lost. This appears as a sudden “blackout” of a segment of the vision. Sometimes, a piece of cholesterol, known as a Hollenhorst Plaque, can be seen at the edge of the blockage. Sometimes such a plaque is seen in a retinal artery with no sign of active blockage. Although this causes no sy
