To determine the clinical features, therapeutic effects, and risk factors of central retinal artery occlusions (CRAO) in young and middle-aged adults.

This was a retrospective study conducted at Jinan Mingshui Eye Hospital from November 2019 to January 2022. Clinical data of 17 (17 eyes) young and middle-aged adults (≤50 years) with CRAO were collected, including general data, medical history, clinical examination results, therapeutic effects, and risk factors.

The mean age of the subjects was 43.3±7.0 years (ranging 30-50 years), with 12 males and 5 females. All patients presented with acute vision loss 3 hours to 3 days, and the average blood pressure at the time of visit was 153.24±25.49 / 95.59±15.19 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa). Eight eyes had serious visual impairments, including 1 eye with light perception, 5 eyes with hand moving, and 2 eyes with finger counting. The visual acuity of 5 eyes was worse than 0.1, while 4 eyes were better than 0.15. All patients underwent fundus photography and OCT examination, and 8 patients had Fundus fluorescene angiography examination. All patients had non-arteritic CRAO, including 11 complete CRAO, 5 incomplete CRAO, and 1 case of CRAO with cilioretinal artery sparing. After treatments (follow-up: 5 days to 1 month), visual acuity improved in 10 eyes, 6 eyes had no obvious changes, and 1 eye had worse visual acuity. Blood pressure was elevated in 13 patient (76.5%).

Hypertension is the most common system risk factor in the young and middle-aged adults with CRAO. Most patients suffered from serious visual impairments, and the outcomes of visual function were better in incomplete CRAO patients than in complete CRAO patients.

retina; central retinal artery occlusions; fundus image; young and middle-aged adults; hypertension