Central retinal artery occlusion caused by expansion of intraocular gas at high altitude

PURPOSE: To report a case of central retinal artery occlusion caused by expansion of intraocular gas during mountain travel at high altitude. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: A 46-year-old man underwent vitrectomy with intraocular gas tamponade for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, right eye. During his trip to Mountain Ali with an altitude of 6,210 feet, he felt a sensation of fullness and noted loss of vision in his right eye. When he came down to sea level, an intraocular pressure of 54 mm. Hg was present in the right eye. He visited our clinics 2 weeks after the episode, and the right eye had best-corrected visual acuity of counting fingers, intraocular pressure of 14 mm Hg, attenuated retinal arteries, and a pale optic disk. RESULTS: Because of irreversible damage to the retina of the right eye, he did not receive any treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We should not neglect the possibility of hazard for patients with intraocular gas under low atmospheric pressure circumstances, such as mountain travel. (C) 2002 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.