Retinal Calcific Embolus
- Calcium fleck embedded in retinal artery that traveled from calcified aortic valve
- May obstruct blood flow to retina, causing transient—or even persistent—visual loss in eye
- Other calcific emboli may later plug arteries in brain to cause stroke
- White fleck lying in artery and interrupting red blood column
- May cause infarction ("ischemic retinal whitening") of retina beyond blockage point (branch retinal artery occlusion)
- Patient may report vision loss
- Platelet-fibrin (Hollenhorst) plaque that has traveled from arteriosclerotic plaque in cervical carotid bifurcation, BUT...
- Calcium plaque is whiter than Hollenhorst plaque and usually gets stuck at more proximal retinal arteriolar branch point
- Interpret this as sign of abnormal aortic valve and refer for cardiac evaluation
- If source not eliminated, future emboli may travel to other parts of brain and cause stroke or further vision loss
