What can cause temporary blindness?

What can cause temporary blindness?

Robert K. Maloney (Ophthalmologist) gives expert video advice on: Are my frequent headaches due to vision problems?; What can cause temporary blindness?; What should I do if I lose my vision suddenly? and more...

The carotid artery is the main artery that feeds blood to your brain and your eye. There is something called plaques that can occur in the corroded artery. It is a form of atherosclerotic vascular disease. These little plaques can break off and go down through the corroded artery and end up in your eye. When that happens you have sudden onset of temporary blindness lasting anytime from maybe 3 seconds up to even 24 hours. It is terrifying because you lose your vision and then it comes back. If you have episodes like that where you go suddenly blind and then it comes back, you need to see both your eye doctor and your internist because that can be a sign of a potentially serious disease that could be a warning sign of a brain stroke yet to come.