07-07-2025
Woman loses vision owing to cancer medication, regains after surgery
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Pune: A 65-year-old woman reported sudden vision loss in both her eyes as the primary artery supplying blood to the retina was blocked.
Proper evaluation revealed that vision loss occurred due to an extremely rare side effect of breast cancer medication. The condition was diagnosed as central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO), a serious and rare complication where the main artery, responsible for supplying blood to the retina, gets blocked
NIO Super Specialty Hospital director Aditya Kelkar, who performed the surgery, said, "On June 5, the blockage caused sudden and painless vision loss in both her eyes.
Two days later, when the patient came to us, we performed an emergency procedure paracentesis, which is done involving fluid drainage, which helped in dislodging the clot and restoring the retina's blood supply. Post the surgery and followups from the hospital, the patient was able to regain her full vision within two weeks.
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Rabia Naaz, one of the doctors involved in the patient's treatment, said, "CRAO is considered a medical emergency due to immediate threat it causes to the patient's vision.
It is quite like a stroke and can be caused due to blood clots, cholesterol embolism or vascular diseases. It is also one of the rarest conditions, usually occurring in 1 out of every 100,000 people annually. This case becomes even more unique as it is a rare occurrence for a patient undergoing breast cancer treatment.
Her age also played a role while we considered her treatment options."
Dr Sabyasachi Sengupta, who was also part of the team of treating doctors, said, "Post the surgery and followups from the hospital, the patient was able to regain almost full vision within two weeks."
"CRAO is a serious complication where the main artery, responsible for supplying blood to the retina, gets blocked. The retina, essential for capturing visual information, needs constant blood flow to function properly. In case of any disruption, it can lead to permanent vision damage if not treated properly," Dr Harsh Jain, one of the doctors involved in the treatment, said.
Dr. Tanya Sagar was also part of the team. Cautioning patients with comorbidities, Dr Akshay Kothari said, "Patients with risk factors like blood pressure, diabetes, heart ailments should have regular eye checkups. They should regularly check their lipids and Vitamin B12 levels as per physicians' recommendation. If they notice sudden painless loss of vision, they should visit the eye department as soon as possible.
Paracentesis treatment works in some cases, but not always and works specifically only if the patient has medical intervention at an early stage."
