Cocaine-induced chorioretinal infarction

Common complications include thrombotic and non-thrombotic myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmias and central nervous system disturbances (seizures/strokes), although renal and intestinal ischaemia and abruptio placentae can occur. 2 3 Adverse ocular effects include madarosis and non-infectious keratitis ("crack eye syndrome") from inhaled cocaine, ischaemic optic neuropathy, central retinal artery and vein occlusions from intravenous abuse and talc/microtalc retinopathy from contaminants. In our patient, chorioretinal ischaemia resulted from cocaine-induced severe vasospasm of the retinal and choroidal vasculature, causing decreased ocular perfusion and consequently, profound visual loss.