eye stroke or retinal artery occlusion ; any experiences

[champdoberman]

3 am, I go blind in my right eye for and hour. Next day see eye dr, he calls cardio,2nd day see primary dr,3rd day see cardio- mri, ct scan, echo, tee scan. results leaking Watchman, Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) from ablations; end results back on Xarelto( " put the watchman in and never take blood thinners again")

[Gumbie_Cat]

I had a central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in 2019 - although I wasn’t diagnosed with A Fib until 2022. Got some blood tests but not another ECG, and remember telling my GP that I felt like a ticking time bomb.

Mine started with floaters in the eye. With being a contact lens wearer, I went to my optometrist. Gradually the vision blurred in that eye while waiting for an eye hospital appointment - due to macular oedema. To the point that I couldn’t really see out of the eye.

I attended for injections (not quite as scary as anticipated), over about three months - and they were nothing short of miraculous. Woke after the first one able to see again, with continuing improvement. I do now have an ‘epiretinal membrane’ in that eye, which apparently is almost inevitable as I’ve had both the CRVO and a previous retinal tear.

Really sorry that your Watchman didn’t work out for you. I had one ablation late last year, which only held for two days. I’ve only just found out that I am not suitable for more ablations and that a cardioversion would require years on Amiodarone. So it’s pretty evident that my A Fib has been going on for longer due to amount of fibrosis. So I’m just coming to the acceptance that it’s just rate control for me, but at least I won’t have the risk and worry of further procedures. (Unless lack of rate control means a pace & ablate down the line - but that is more straighforward.)

Sticking with the Eliquis - nearly grabbed it from their hands last year! Strong family history of AF and stroke, plus that CRVO.

Good luck with yours, and if you get offered the injections they are incredible.

[AussieHeart]

Did the cardiologist blame ablation as the cause? I ask because a year before my AF dx I suffered sudden eyesight loss. A neurologist called it an “atypical Amaurosis Fugax” and referred me to a cardiologist, who referred me on to a cardiac electrophysiologist who tested me for PFO saying it’s very common in older people (thanks as I was 58)! Anyway reluctantly I went on to have an ablation so my experience all happened prior to ablation, if that info comforts at all? Sending you a virtual hug. All this is so unsettling and I have developed ocular rosacea which is painful.

[champdoberman in reply to AussieHeart]

blood clot from leaking watchman

[opal11uk]

I have visual disturbance, like looking through a crystal glass and it was this the first time it happened that took me into hospital with a stroke so it is something to be investigated. Many years later I got it again, about 3 times but this was different, visually the same but my speech was affected, I knew what I was saying but to others I was unintelligible, these occurrences were put down to TIA's and I saw a 'stroke' doctor, he in turn did brain scans (found I did have one) and took be off Warfarin and put me on to Pradaxa and started me on Statins and I haven't, touch wood, had another since. So, all such eye disturbances must be treated seriously and help sought. Good luck

[CDreamer]

So sorry to hear that has happened to you, must be very scary and hope that you receive good treatment - there was an article by Dr Mandrola (cardiologist) talking about research on the Watchman device by the Mayo Clinic and how it can encourage clots to form on the device. I have to say it completely put me off Watchman - not that it’s ever really ben an option open to most in UK.

I was found to have a PFO when I had my ablation so the EP did not need to punch a hole through the septum - about 20-25% of the population are known to have one and most of the time this does not cause any problems or need treatment.

I know several people having the injection treatment for similar problems and all report it has helped. Best wishes

[CDreamer]

Sorry, misspelt Dr Mandrola - here is a link to the article published in Medscape July 2021

medscape.com/viewarticle/95...

Quote:-

DRT stands for device-related thrombus and its translation is that a blood clot has formed in the arterial circulation in the left atrium (LA) on or near the foreign body that was implanted to prevent a blood clot from forming in the LA.

JACC has published a study from Mayo Clinic researchers that attempted to assess outcomes and predictors of DRT. My colleague and frequent debater Osama Wasni co-wrote the editorial—which is pretty darn good. Journalist Patrice Wendling has outstanding news coverage.The Mayo-led group reached out to Watchman centers and asked them to send in cases of DRT, along with two cases at around the same time that did not have DRT. This allowed them to compare characteristics and attempt to put together predictors of those who had a clot and those who did not. They studied 711 patients total, 474 without DRT and 237 with DRT.

You may find that useful.

[RoyMacDonald]

I went completly blind for about 1 min (awkward as I was in a bike race on a fast corner at the time) about two weeks before I had a major stroke.

I should have been on Apixaban, but foolishly had decided not to take it because of fear of a bleed.

All the best.

Roy

[SeanJax]

eye stroke like brain stroke is an absolute emergency. After 24 hours , people most likely will lose permanently the vision of this eye. Brain stroke is 4 hours . So please be aware of the stroke symptoms and to go straight to emergency room or A&E. And even there you need an expert eye physician to deal with your eye stroke. For the brain stroke, people would need a specialist team composed of the er doctor, the neurologist and the neurosurgeon to deal with it in the first 4 hours.

[champdoberman in reply to SeanJax]

yes; Had I been aware of the severity, I would have gone to er right away. Because my sight came back. I thought it could wait. The hospital could have run the scans that morning; my misjudgement could have led to permanent blindness. Lucky I guess, the clot could have gone to my brain instead of my eye.

[Stratton-sully]

Hi champdoberman, I guess my catalyst was while driving lose of sight in right eye blinking a few times and just drove a few yards to park at my destination and it had cleared, two days later going for a routine GP appointment about my fantastic cholesterol test results of less the 3 ( U.K.) scale my wife reminded me to mention the

loss of sight, thank goodness for that as the initial welcome of “ Fantastic Cholesterol Levels) were forgotten and TIA was spelt out to me and all the tests and an introduction to statins were I asked the cardio nurse whose father was on them what he was taking “ Roovastin “ okay that’s good enough for me.

A strong cup of espresso from a friend’s new machine kicked off AF a couple of nights before Christmas that year set me as a regular visitor to Cardiac which was resolved with a cardioversion

A couple of years later aorta valve replacement which was straight back to theatre as I had a Cardiac Tamponade and opened up again.

A close call I was told but I had done nothing heroic.

A few days later good to go,