Central retinal artery occlusion or branch retinal artery occlusion in the young associated with high lipoprotein (a) levels

Background: High plasma lipoprotein (a) concentration is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis and thrombosis.

Methods: We present the cases of two young women, one with central retinal artery occlusion and the other with branch retinal artery occlusion. Case 1: A 32-year-old woman was seen in our clinic complaining of a sudden decrease in visual acuity to 1/50 with a central visual field defect in the right eye. The fundus examination revealed an occlusion of the central retinal artery, which was confirmed by fluorescein fundus angiography. Thorough systemic evaluation showed no signs of cardiovascular disease, no coagulation abnormalities, and no clinical or biological evidence of a systemic disorder. On the other hand, hypercholesterolemia and elevated levels of lipoprotein (a) were detected. Case 2: A 35-year-old woman consulted complaining of a visual field loss in the left eye without reduction of visual acuity. Fundus examination and angiography showed the occlusion of the temporal-superior branch artery. A detailed systemic work-up revealed a pseudo-bicuspid aortic valve and high lipoprotein (a) levels.

Conclusions: These two cases emphasize the importance of a thorough systemic evaluation of young adults with a retinal artery occlusion. High plasma lipoprotein (a) concentration is a risk factor which should not be neglected.