Ocular key symptoms of extracranial cerebrovascular disease.

Fourty-six patients with stenosis or occlusion of the internal carotid artery were evaluated by direct Doppler sonography and ophthalmologic examination. A retrospective analysis showed the following secondary ocular manifestations of vascular diseases: ischemic ophthalmopathy (9) amaurosis fugax (8), ischemic optic neuropathy (6), and retinal embolism (5). Two patients had two ocular manifestations; three showed homonymous visual field defects. Results of the ophthalmologic examination were normal in seven patients. Eye changes not obviously related to extracranial vascular disease were present in ten patients. Ischemic ophthalmopathy was invariably due to an occlusive disease of the internal carotid artery.