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Intra-arterial thrombolysis for central retinal artery occlusion

Correspondence to:
Professor S S Hayreh, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242-1091, USA; sohan-hayreh@uiowa.edu

Accepted 5 January 2008

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is an ophthalmic emergency, associated with catastrophic visual loss. Since von Graefe described it in 1859,¹ many treatments have been proposed to improve visual outcome, including ocular massage, reduction in intraocular pressure, antiplatelet therapy, heparin therapy, vasodilators, isovolumic haemodilution, hyperbaric oxygen, and embolectomy. None, however, has stood the test of time. Intra-arterial thrombolysis is currently the most widely advocated therapy,^2–12 and success has been enthusiastically claimed for it. The role of intra-arterial thrombolysis in CRAO has recently been discussed in reviews,^{13 14} one of which is published in this issue of this Journal (see page 588).¹⁵

The objective of the present discussion is to consider the question of intra-arterial thrombolysis in CRAO in the light of available scientific facts. A brief discussion is first required of those various basic crucial issues, which determine the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of any therapy. These include the . . . [Full text of this article]

Relevant Article

Intra-arterial thrombolysis for central retinal artery occlusion: a systematic review

J Noble, N Weizblit, M O Baerlocher, and K T Eng
Br. J. Ophthalmol. 2008 92: 588-593. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]