Stroke and the Eye

For more information contact Cory Miller of the American Stroke Association at 520-795-1403, or Dr. Tredici at 520-694-1460.

Every 45 seconds someone has a stroke, and every 3 minutes someone dies of a stroke. 700,000 Americans will have a stroke this year, and 167,000 of them will die. Stroke is a leading cause of death among Americans, and it is the major cause of serious, long-term disability.

Stroke occurs when a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain is either blocked by a clot, or it bursts. When this happens, the part of the brain supplied by the blood vessel begins to die. When a clot blocks an artery it is called an ischemic stroke (80% of all strokes), and when a stroke is caused by a ruptured blood vessel it is called a hemorrhagic stroke (20% of all strokes).

When the brain dies from a stroke, the part of the body that it controls is affected. That is why strokes cause paralysis, trouble speaking, numbness and vision problems. Be aware that if you have an ischemic stroke, and you get to the hospital within 3 hours after the stroke has begun, you can be given a clot-dissolving drug known as tPA which may reverse or improve the disability of the stroke.

Tom Tredici, M.D., is a neuro-ophthalmologist in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Arizona. Dr. Tredici examines the eye and the visual system for symptoms and signs of stroke. Symptoms may include transient and permanent vision loss in one or both eyes, transient or permanent double vision and headache.

The general warning signs of stroke include:

• Sudden severe headache
• Sudden trouble seeing with one or both eyes
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance

Know the above warning signs as stroke is a medical emergency. Call 9-1-1 immediately and save the life of someone you love.