Regional ischemic infarcts of the retina.

Macroscopic and light microscopic features of regional ischemic infarcts of retina in autopsy eyes are described. Lesions were found throughout life span, most patients having significant primary or secondary vascular disease (younger had systemic hypertension, rheumatic heart disease, vasculitis or sickle hemoglobinopathy; most older patients had arteriosclerosis). Diabetes mellitus and infarction of other organs (including brain) also were common. Topographically almost all lesions were found in posterior fundus; most were temporal and involved anatomical macula. Microscopically there was destruction of inner retinal layers with preservation of outermost cells of inner nuclear layer; occasionally ganglion cell layer was relatively spared.