SUDDEN VISION LOSS FROM CENTRAL RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION AS A PRESENTING SYMPTOM OF MITRAL VALVE PAPILLARY FIBROELASTOMA.

PURPOSE: We describe a central retinal artery occlusion with cilioretinal sparing in a young male patient who was found to have mitral valve papillary fibroelastoma.

METHODS

At the initial examination, a 33-year-old Hispanic man had visual acuity of 20/200 in his left eye, and 2 weeks later, visual acuity improved to 20/20. Diagnosis required transesophageal echocardiography to localize the lesion.

RESULTS

Mitral valve papillary fibroelastoma involving the mitral valve was successfully treated with tumor resection.

CONCLUSION

Routine echocardiography should be performed in all patients presenting with central retinal artery occlusion as it may diagnose treatable cardiogenic etiologies and present further potentially life-threatening embolic events.