When Jim Chrismas suddenly lost vision in his left eye in January, he knew something was terribly wrong.
Jim Chrismas with Fiona Stanley Hospital Clinical Nurse Rachel Byrne and Hyperbaric Consultant Dr Fiona Sharp
A range of tests and investigations landed Jim in the Emergency Department (ED) at Fiona Stanley Hospital (FSH), where his condition was identified as central retinal artery occlusion – also known as eye stroke.
The rare condition is caused by a blockage of the main artery supplying the eye, often resulting in permanent vision loss.
After arriving in the ED, Jim was immediately taken to the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit (HMU) for hyperbaric oxygen treatment.
FSH Head of Hyperbaric Medicine Dr Neil Banham said oxygen treatment could reduce the risk of permanent eye damage, so it was important to act fast.
“Central retinal artery occlusion has a poor prognosis but hyperbaric oxygen treatment has been shown to improve outcomes by preventing irreversible retina damage from lack of oxygen,” he said.
Jim had eight sessions in the oxygen chamber and said he was tremendously grateful for the team’s intervention.
“The Hyperbaric and the ED teams were fantastic and I’m happy to say my vision has now returned to about 75%,” Jim said.
He urged others who experienced sudden blindness to seek treatment urgently.
“If you suddenly go blind in one or both eyes, even if your vision returns a short time later, it could mean something is very wrong.
“The sooner you get treated, the better your chances of keeping your vision.”
Jim, a keen camper, recently had surgery on his carotid artery to remove the cause of the blockage and is looking forward to getting back into the great outdoors.