Visual recovery and OCT evolution following central retinal artery occlusion treated with intra-arterial verapamil and alteplase infusion.

A 69-year-old woman presented with a "veil" over the left eye. Clinical examination demonstrated signs of central retinal artery occlusion. Visual acuity was compromised to 1/200 E in the left eye. Ocular massage and anterior chamber paracentesis failed to improve vision. An emergent intra-arterial catheterization with verapamil and alteplase infusion was performed less than 12 hours following symptom onset. Initial optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed inner retinal edema. One year later, OCT revealed relatively minor thinning, which could explain the patient's visual recovery to 20/40. This may be the first article to report OCT changes following this treatment for central retinal artery occlusion.