Retinal Artery Occlusion (RAO) occurs when an abrupt blockage of blood floaw to the retina halts proper retinal functioning. Depending on the extent of the blockage and area of the retina affected, the loss of vision may be relatively mild or very severe. This problem is analogous to a “stroke” of the eye.

A Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion (BRAO) is a blockage of a smaller caliber vessel in the retina, often leading to a sectoral scotoma (blind spot).

A Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO) is a blockage of the major central retinal artery, and can often lead to significant and permanent vision loss.