Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is an ophthalmological emergency and it is analogous to an acute stroke of the eye. The incidence is 1 in 100 000 people.
Traditional therapeutic regimens, including ocular massage, anterior chamber paracentesis, intraocular pressure-lowering medications, vasodilators and oral diuretics, have shown to be unsuccessful in the great majority of cases. Trombolytic agents and surgical embolectomy are associated with high haemorrhagic risk.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been associated with visual improvement in retrospective studies. HBOT can maintain oxygenation of the retina through the choroidal blood supply, decrease oedema and preserve compromised tissue adjacent to ischaemic area.