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  | Image          = Gray873.png
  | Image          = Gray873.png
  | Caption        = The arteries of the choroid and iris. The greater part of the sclera has been removed.
  | Caption        = The arteries of the choroid and iris. The greater part of the sclera has been removed.
| DiseasesDB    = 501
| ICD10          = {{ICD10|G|45|3|g|40}}
| ICD9          = {{ICD9|362.34}}
| ICDO          =
| OMIM          =
| MedlinePlus    = 000784
| MeshID        = D020757
}}
}}
{{Amaurosis fugax}}
{{Amaurosis fugax}}
'''For patient information, click [[Amaurosis fugax (patient information)|here]]
'''
{{CMG}}
{{CMG}}


{{Editor join}}
{{SK}} Transient monocular blindness
 
==[[Amaurosis fugax overview|Overview]]==
 
==[[Amaurosis fugax historical perspective|Historical Perspective]]==
 
==[[Amaurosis fugax pathophysiology|Pathophysiology]]==


==Symptoms==
==[[Amaurosis fugax causes|Causes]]==
The experience of amaurosis fugax is classically described as a transient monocular vision loss that appears as a "[[curtain]] coming down vertically into the [[visual field|field of vision]] in one eye;" however, this altitudinal visual loss is relatively uncommon.  In one study, only 23.8 percent of patients with transient monocular vision loss experienced the classic "curtain" or "shade" descending over their vision.<ref name="noauthor">"Beneficial effect of carotid endarterectomy in symptomatic patients with high-grade carotid stenosis." ''N Engl J Med.'' 1991 August 15;325(7):445-53. PMID 1852179.</ref>  Other descriptions of this experience include a monocular blindness, dimming, fogging, or blurring.<ref name="Lord">Lord RS. "Transient monocular blindness." ''Aust N Z J Ophthalmol.'' 1990 Aug;18(3):299-305. PMID 2261177.</ref>  Total or sectorial [[vision loss]] typically lasts only a few seconds, but may last minutes or even hours.  Duration depends on the etiology of the vision loss.  Obscured vision due to papilledema may last only seconds, while a severely atherosclerotic carotid artery may be associated with a duration of one to ten minutes.<ref name="Donders">Donders RC. "Clinical features of transient monocular blindness and the likelihood of atherosclerotic lesions of the internal carotid artery." ''J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry.'' 2001 Aug;71(2):247-9. PMID 11459904.</ref>  Certainly, additional symptoms may be present with the amaurosis fugax, and those findings will depend on the etiology of the transient monocular vision loss.


==Diagnostic Evaluation==
==[[Amaurosis fugax differential diagnosis|Differentiating Amaurosis fugax from other Diseases]]==
Despite the temporary nature of the vision loss, those experiencing amaurosis fugax are usually advised to consult a [[physician]] immediately as it is a [[symptom]] that usually heralds serious vascular events, including [[stroke]].<ref name="benavente">Benavente, Eliasziw, Steifler, Fox, et al. "Prognosis after transient monocular blindness associated with carotid-artery stenosis." ''N Engl J Med.'' 2001;345(15):1084-1090.</ref><ref name="rothwell">Rothwell, Warlow. "Timing of TIA's preceding stroke: time window for prevention is very short." ''Neurology.'' 2005;64:817.</ref>  Restated, “because of the brief interval between the transient event and a stroke or blindness from temporal arteritis, the workup for transient monocular blindness should be undertaken without delay.”  If the patient has no history of giant cell arteritis, the probability of vision preservation is high; however, the chance of a stroke reaches that for a hemispheric TIA.  Therefore, investigation of cardiac disease is justified.<ref name="ASG" />


A diagnostic evaluation should begin with the patient's history, followed by a physical exam, with particular importance being paid to the ophthalmic examination with regards to signs of ocular ischemia.  When investigating amaurosis fugax, an ophthalmologic consult is absolutely warranted if available.  Several concomitant laboratory tests should also be ordered to investigate some of the more common, systemic causes listed above, including a complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, lipid panel, and blood glucose level.  If a particular etiology is suspected based on the history and physical, additional relevant labs should be ordered.<ref name="ASG" />
==[[Amaurosis fugax epidemiology and demographics|Epidemiology and Demographics]]==


If laboratory tests are abnormal, a systemic disease process is likely, and, if the ophthalmologic examinaton is abnormal, ocular disease is likely.  However, in the event that both of these routes of investigation yield normal findings, or an inadequate explanation, noninvasive duplex ultrasound studies are recommended to identify carotid artery disease.  Most episodes of amaurosis fugax are the result of stenosis of the ipsilateral carotid artery.<ref name="smit">Smit, Ronald; G. Seerp Baarsma and Peter J. Koudstaal [http://www.iovs.org/cgi/reprint/1/1/136.pdf "The source of embolism in amaurosis fugax and retinal artery occlusion."] ''International Ophthalmology.'' 1994 March;18(2):83-86. ISSN 0165-5701.</ref>  With that being the case, researchers investigated how best to evaluate these episodes of vision loss, and concluded that for patients ranging from 36-74 years old, "...carotid artery duplex scanning should be performed...as this investigation is more likely to provide useful information than an extensive cardiac screening (ECG, Holler 24-hour monitoring and precordial echocardiography)."<ref name="smit"/>  Additionally, concomitant head CT or MRI imaging is also recommended to investigate the presence of a “clinically silent cerebral embolism.”<ref name="ASG" />
==[[Amaurosis fugax risk factors|Risk Factors]]==


If the results of the ultrasound and intracranial imaging are normal, “renewed diagnostic efforts may be made,” during which [[fluorescein angiography]] is an appropriate consideration.  However, carotid angiography is not advisable in the presence of a normal ultrasound and CT.<ref name="walsh">Walsh J, Markowitz I, Kerstein MD. "Carotid endarterectomy for amaurosis fugax without angiography." ''Am J Surg.'' 1986 Aug;152(2):172-4. PMID 3526933.</ref>
==[[Amaurosis fugax natural history, complications and prognosis|Natural History, Complications and Prognosis]]==


==Differential Diagnosis of Amaurosis fugax==
==Diagnosis==
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|style="height:100px"; style="width:25%" border="1" bgcolor="LightSteelBlue" | '''Cardiovascular'''
[[Amaurosis fugax diagnostic evaluation|Diagnostic Evaluation]] | [[Amaurosis fugax history and symptoms|History and Symptoms]] | [[Amaurosis fugax physical examination|Physical Examination]] | [[Amaurosis fugax laboratory findings|Laboratory Findings]] | [[Amaurosis fugax CT|CT]] | [[Amaurosis fugax MRI|MRI]] | [[Amaurosis fugax echocardiography or ultrasound|Echocardiography or Ultrasound]] | [[Amaurosis fugax other imaging findings|Other Imaging Findings]]
|style="height:100px"; style="width:75%" border="1" bgcolor="Beige" | No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Chemical / poisoning'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
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| '''Dermatologic'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
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| '''Drug Side Effect'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Ear Nose Throat'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
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|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Endocrine'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
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|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Environmental'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Gastroenterologic'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Genetic'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Hematologic'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Iatrogenic'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Infectious Disease'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Musculoskeletal / Ortho'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
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|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Neurologic'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Nutritional / Metabolic'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Oncologic'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Opthalmologic'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Overdose / Toxicity'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Psychiatric'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Pulmonary'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Renal / Electrolyte'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Rheum / Immune / Allergy'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Trauma'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|-bgcolor="LightSteelBlue"
| '''Miscellaneous'''
|bgcolor="Beige"| No underlying causes
|-
|}


==Treatment==
==Treatment==


If the diagnostic workup reveals a systemic disease process, directed therapies to treat that underlying etiology should be initiated.  If the amaurosis fugax is caused by an atherosclerotic lesion, [[aspirin]] is indicated, and a [[carotid endarterectomy]] if the stenosis is surgically accessible.  Generally, if the carotid artery is still patent, the greater the stenosis, the greater the indication for endarterectomy.  "Amaurosis fugax appears to be a particularly favorable indication for carotid endarterectomy. Left untreated, this event carries a high risk of stroke; after carotid endarterectomy, which has a low operative risk, there is a very low postoperative stroke rate."<ref name="bernstein">Bernstein EF, Dilley RB. "Late results after carotid endarterectomy for amaurosis fugax." ''J Vasc Surg.'' 1987 Oct;6(4):333-40. PMID 3656582.</ref>  If the full diagnostic workup is completely normal, patient observation is recommended.<ref name="ASG" />
[[Amaurosis fugax medical therapy|Medical Therapy]] | [[Amaurosis fugax surgery|Surgery]] | [[Amaurosis fugax primary prevention|Primary Prevention]] | [[Amaurosis fugax secondary prevention|Secondary Prevention]] | [[Amaurosis fugax cost-effectiveness of therapy|Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy]] | [[Amaurosis fugax future or investigational therapies|Future or Investigational Therapies]]
 
==Case Studies==
:[[Amaurosis fugax case study one|Case #1]]


==Related Chapters==
==Related Chapters==
*[[Ocular ischemic syndrome]]
*[[Ocular ischemic syndrome]]
*[[Amaurosis]]
*[[Amaurosis]]
==References==
{{reflist|2}}


{{Diseases of the nervous system}}
{{Diseases of the nervous system}}
[[de:Retinaler Arterienverschluss]]
[[zh:一过性黑蒙]]
[[zh:一过性黑蒙]]


[[Category:Cardiovascular diseases]]
[[Category:Cardiovascular diseases]]
[[Category:Ophthalmology]]
[[Category:Ophthalmology]]
[[Category:Neurology]]
[[Category:Neurology]]
[[Category:Symptoms]]
[[Category:Signs and symptoms]]
[[Category:Ddx]]
[[Category:Ddx]]
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Latest revision as of 15:28, 22 June 2015

Amaurosis fugax
The arteries of the choroid and iris. The greater part of the sclera has been removed.

Amaurosis fugax Microchapters

Home

Patient Information

Overview

Historical Perspective

Pathophysiology

Causes

Differentiating Amaurosis fugax from other Diseases

Epidemiology and Demographics

Risk Factors

Natural History, Complications and Prognosis

Diagnosis

History and Symptoms

Diagnostic Evaluation

Physical Examination

Laboratory Findings

CT

MRI

Echocardiography or Ultrasound

Other Imaging Findings

Treatment

Medical Therapy

Surgery

Primary Prevention

Secondary Prevention

Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy

Future or Investigational Therapies

Case Studies

Case #1

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Synonyms and keywords: Transient monocular blindness

Overview

Historical Perspective

Pathophysiology

Causes

Differentiating Amaurosis fugax from other Diseases

Epidemiology and Demographics

Risk Factors

Natural History, Complications and Prognosis

Diagnosis

Diagnostic Evaluation | History and Symptoms | Physical Examination | Laboratory Findings | CT | MRI | Echocardiography or Ultrasound | Other Imaging Findings

Treatment

Medical Therapy | Surgery | Primary Prevention | Secondary Prevention | Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy | Future or Investigational Therapies

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Case #1

Related Chapters

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