Studies Show Vision Loss in Mini-Strokes
Hong Kong ophthalmologists report that a study of people who suffer mini-strokes called silent cerebral infarcts could help explain the medical mystery of normal-tension glaucoma.
According to HealthDay Reporter, Glaucoma is the progressive loss of vision caused by deterioration of the optic nerves, which carry signals from the eyes to the brain. It is customarily attributed to abnormally high pressure of the fluid in the eye.
The Hong Kong study of 286 people with normal-tension glaucoma found a high incidence of silent cerebral infarcts among those whose loss of vision progressed more rapidly. The finding is in the July issue of Ophthalmology.
The study found that 29.6 percent of people with silent cerebral infarcts — symptomless blockages of small brain arteries — experienced steady deterioration of their vision, whereas such infarcts occurred in only 15.3 percent of those whose glaucoma-caused vision loss did not progress.
The next step in the Hong Kong research program will be to determine whether the severity of the silent infarcts correlates with the degree of vision loss in glaucoma. To learn more about the study, visit NorthShore University HealthSystem’s News section.
