[A case of reversed ophthalmic artery flow without occlusion of the internal carotid artery].

BACKGROUND

We report a case of reversed ophthalmic artery (OA) flow showing neither occlusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) nor ophthalmic symptoms.

CASE: An 82-year-old man had transient blindness in both eyes. After left carotid endarterectomy, ophthalmic symptoms improved in the right and left eyes. Afterwards, he had a relapse in the left eye.

RESULTS

There was no unusual impression in the ophthalmic examinations, but color Doppler imaging showed reduced flow in the left OA, reversal of flow direction in the right OA. The central retinal artery (CRA) and short posterior ciliary arteries (SPCA) were not detected in the left eye but were detected in the right eye. Digital subtraction angiography demonstrated that the right OA was not contrasted with the right ICA, despite there being no stenosis or occlusion of the right ICA.

CONCLUSIONS

We suggest that carotid surgery may affect the ocular circulation of the opposite side, and reversed OA flow as a collateral pathway from the external carotid artery may occur in the absence of carotid artery stenosis. Good circulation of the CRA and SPCA may preclude manifestation of ophthalmic symptoms even if the OA flow is reversed.