What symptom is commonly associated with CRAO?

Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO) primarily presents as a sudden, acute, painless loss of vision in one eye. This occurs when the blood supply to the retina is interrupted due to an obstruction in the central retinal artery. Because the retina is highly sensitive to changes in blood flow, the resulting ischemia leads to immediate and significant visual impairment. Patients often describe this vision loss suddenly occurring without any associated pain, distinguishing it from other eye conditions that may cause gradual vision loss or discomfort.

In contrast, symptoms like gradual vision loss or persistent eye discomfort are more characteristic of chronic eye conditions or different types of retinal issues, while night blindness pertains to difficulty seeing in low light or dark settings, not directly related to CRAO. Therefore, the hallmark symptom of CRAO is indeed the sudden and painless vision loss, making it a critical sign for prompt medical evaluation.