Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41561661›Full record

ArticleAmerican journal of ophthalmology case reports2026

Ocular massage in central retinal artery occlusion: Monitoring vascular recovery with optical coherence tomography angiography - A case series.

Clara Rizzo, Stefano Mercuri, Carlo Lavia, Pasquale Viggiano, Gianni Virgili, Fabrizio Giansanti, Francesco Faraldi, Daniela Bacherini

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PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in American journal of ophthalmology case reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Clara RizzoDepartment of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research, and Child Health, Eye Clinic, University of Florence, AOU Careggi, 50139, Florence, Italy.
Stefano MercuriDepartment of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research, and Child Health, Eye Clinic, University of Florence, AOU Careggi, 50139, Florence, Italy.
Carlo LaviaOphthalmology Unit, Surgical Department, A.O. Ordine Mauriziano, Turin, Italy.
Pasquale ViggianoDepartment of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy.
Gianni VirgiliDepartment of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research, and Child Health, Eye Clinic, University of Florence, AOU Careggi, 50139, Florence, Italy.
Fabrizio GiansantiDepartment of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research, and Child Health, Eye Clinic, University of Florence, AOU Careggi, 50139, Florence, Italy.
Francesco FaraldiTorino, Eye Clinic, ASL Torino 5, 10024, Turin, Italy.
Daniela BacheriniDepartment of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research, and Child Health, Eye Clinic, University of Florence, AOU Careggi, 50139, Florence, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO) is an ophthalmic emergency with a generally poor visual prognosis. Currently, no universally effective, evidence-based treatment exists, and therapeutic options remain limited. Ocular massage (OM) has been proposed as a potential intervention aimed at dislodging emboli and improving retinal perfusion. Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) is emerging as a valuable imaging tool for assessing retinal microvascular changes in real-time. This study evaluates the role of OM in CRAO management and highlights the utility of OCTA in monitoring vascular response. Methods: We present a case series of three patients diagnosed with CRAO who underwent prolonged OM. OCTA was performed before, during, and after treatment to assess changes in retinal capillary plexus perfusion. Visual acuity (VA) and structural OCT findings were also recorded. Results: OM led to significant improvements in VA and retinal perfusion in all cases. OCTA revealed progressive increases in vessel density within both the superficial and deep capillary plexuses during OM, correlating with clinical recovery. One case of transient retinal artery occlusion (TRAO) demonstrated no apparent structural changes on fundus examination or OCT, but OCTA successfully identified early microvascular alterations, enabling prompt diagnosis and intervention. Conclusions: OM appears to promote retinal reperfusion in CRAO, suggesting a potential therapeutic benefit. OCTA proves to be a crucial non-invasive tool for detecting vascular alterations that may not be visible with conventional imaging. Further studies are required to validate these findings and refine CRAO management strategies.

Indexed as

Central retinal artery occlusionOcular massageOptical coherence tomography angiography

Identifiers

PMID41561661
PMCPMC12813228

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Registered trials

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