I had a BRAO on the 2nd November last year that has left my right eye with half its sight - like a shutter closing off half the vision. I understand that this is a form or TIA. Has anyone on the Forum had this, and have they recovered any of thier sight?
1 Like
Hello @Chris_Baugh, sorry to hear you have had a BRAO, I have heard of this. Partial sight loss with cerebral stroke is common, so hopefully, someone here may be able to help.
Hi All,
I am new here. 
I also suffered a BRAO last weekend, which was diagnosed after 15 hours in A&E 
Have lost half the vision (upper half) in my right eye, CT shows a previous stroke in my brain, I am feeling quite overwhelmed.
I am 47, with Lupus SLE but otherwise fit and well, commute by bicycle, run, and ride horses. They think associated sticky blood from Lupus has caused this and am now at high risk of further strokes so medications adjusted, but no idea if eyesight will return.
Does anyone have a positive outcome from a BRAO? I would so appreciate your story!
Thanks all, and all the best for Christmas 2025 
1 Like
Hi @Beeby31 & welcome to the community. Sorry to hear of your BRAO stroke. I have no experience of that type of stroke but as with most strokes I would hope you will improve in time. Have you been referred to ophthalmology? They will be able to advise on exercises you can do to try & improve your sight.
It will all be overwhelming right now. Take time to process what has happened and rest loads to give your brain chance to do some repair work.
Best wishes for Christmas.
Ann
1 Like
Thanks so much for your welcome and kindness, Ann. Good advice. I am on the NHS radar now and so hopefully can prevent it happening again.
Best wishes,
Bee
2 Likes
Hi Bee,
Iām sorry to hear youāve had a BRAO. I had one almost four weeks ago. My only symptom was blurred vision in my right eye, so It came as a complete shock to me and, in fact, I had never heard of an āeye strokeā. So far, no reason for this happening has been found, although Iām currently waiting for the results of a 72-hour holter monitor.
I was put on 300mg aspirin for two weeks and then swapped to 75mg Clopidogrel plus 80mg Atorvastatin. I couldnāt tolerate the 80mg Atorvastatin and Iām now trying on 40mg.
On the positive front, I saw my optician today and my eyesight meets the DVLA driving standard, so Iāll be able to drive again after this coming weekend. She also scanned my eye and there was a marked improvement since I was first diagnosed. My sight is OK unless I cover my āgoodā eye.
Iām sure that you will have improvement with time. Itās a lot for you to process and Iām finding that Iām still struggling a bit. If thereās any other information I can give you, please donāt hesitate to ask.
Take care, and Best Wishes for Christmas
1 Like
@Islagirl thank you so verymuch for your message, and kind words. You are a few weeks ahead of me, but yes sounds a similar visual loss 
I am hopeful that some vision will return, and funnily enough, I also paid a visit to my gp and optician (after all the hospital overwhelm) and they reassured me it will take some weeks/months, vision may improve, and that also my brain can adjust.
I was already on aspirin as have a blood clotting disorder and Lupus SLE, but this has been changed to Clopidogrel, and also Atorvastatinā¦. No noticeable side effects yet on 40mgā¦. What happened for you on 80mg?
I have a 7 day ECG in Jan and had an MRI yesterday. Various follow ups over next few weeks, and anxious that it can happen again. I really thought I just had a visual migraine and that it would pass, so the shock is a huge part of it.
Like you, the ophthalmologist has said I can drive, I commute by bike and have already managed to cycle, and I rode a horse today which eased my heart and soul.
Thanks again for your message, so happy you have noticed an improvement I hope you can enjoy Christmas and stay positive.
All best,
Bx
1 Like
@Islagirl PS I hope you get more clarity on what may have happened to cause yours
1 Like
Hi Bee,
Good to hear that things are sounding positive for you and that youāve managed to cycle and been on a horse again. I felt like I had flu when I was on 80mg Atorvastatin. Hopefully a lower dose will be better.
I look forward to hearing how things progress for you.
Best wishes,
Isla
1 Like
Hi again and Happy New Yearā¦
I wanted to hear how you are going and to update you that Iāve been put on warfarin in the last week (not what I wanted at all) because a leaky heart valve was found in an ultrasound me could well be the cause of the BRAO clot. Looks to be Libman Sacks relating to Lupus SLE. So everything seems to have changed again, and to be honest I havenāt had much time to think about the eye strokeā¦
Have been in the hospital every day while they stabilise warfarin INR.
I do feel my brain is managing better with the loss of vision - depends on lighting a lot - supermarkets seem to be the worst with bright overhead lighting, and I would describe the āblanketā loss as having dispersed a little bit and more like looking through leaves now. I am 4.5 weeks into the BRAO and honestly feels like Iāve been on a washing machine spin cycle for most of this time.
Do let know how you are, when you can. ALL BEST! Bx
Hi Bee,
Great to hear from you. Iām sorry youāve had a diagnosis of a leaky heart valve and are having to take warfarin. I can understand what you mean about not having time to think about the BRAO. How was your heart valve problem diagnosed?
I have been doing OK in terms of my eye. I think my sight is slightly better and Iām looking forward to finding out more when I have my ophthalmology appointment in a couple of weeks time. My biggest issue has been a very bad reaction to Clopidogrel. I have chronic gastritis and esophagitis and prior to the BRAO I took Esomeprazole, which helped my symptoms a lot. I had to stop Esomeprazole and take another PPI when I started on Clopidogrel. Unfortunately, I am currently in a very bad gastritis flare up and my symptoms are pretty awful. My GP contacted the stroke clinic and they contacted me today to say to stop Clopidogrel, go back to Esomeprazole and take 75mg aspirin instead. Sorry for all the details, but just to highlight how medication issues can arise.
I had blood tests, a carotid artery ultrasound and a 72-hour Holter monitor. Everything is fine, so still no reason found for the BRAO. I expected further tests but have been told they wonāt do any more. Iām not sure if I should have any further checks done privately.
I really hope all goes well with your medication. Keep in touch.
Best Wishes
Isla
Hi dear,
Sorry to hear about the flare up. That must be so uncomfortable. I am glad you can go back on your meds which were working for you. I was on aspirin for twenty five years sincey initial lupus diagnosis in my 20s and have never had a problem with it stomach wise, so hope youāll be fine. 
Great news on ophthalmology too. Let me know?
Do you mind me asking what age you are? They are really determined to find the cause of my clot, it was a heart ultrasound which revealed the leaky valve. I also now have an oesophageal scan in a couple of weeks and a bubble ECG and a 7 day holter in March.
Iāve been referred to the anticoagulant clinic and am waiting on haematology.
Does it perhaps depend on age and/or where you are based? No idea: Iām 47 and in London and otherwise healthy.
Thinking of you and all the best of finding out more
Thanks for your kind words. Iām pleased to hear that youāre being thoroughly tested. Could this be due to you having lupus? Iām 64, so a good bit older than you, but still feel I should be having more investigations. Iām in Scotland, so maybe our NHS doesnāt carry out so many tests. I wonder if it would be worth having an echocardiogram done privately?
Isla
Did you have a CT scan or MRI? My initial CT revealed a previous infarct from what could have been a silent stroke, so because of my autoimmune issues they then did an MRI which I donāt have the results of yet.
I think part of processing the shock is having an idea where it originated, but also, in your case, the treatment would likely be the same? So perhaps they donāt feel the need to test further.
What I have with my heart could also be an injection, so that needs ruling out with the oesophageal scan and blood cultures.
feels so overwhelming right now, but i did say to my partner earlier that i felt calmer for the first time today so perhaps the shock is easing a little.
My advice would be ask for what you need. Your gp is a good place to start i reckon i am furious with myself for not chasing down appointments / that ive had to lose half my eyesight in one eye to be taken seriously by my rheumatologist / it will be over two years since my last appointment (they kept being postponed and postponed) and having researched it myself I now understand i was prone to heart involvement with my particular conditions.
Iāve not had a CT scan or an MRI. I would like to know what caused the stroke, but you could be right that Iām on the correct treatment anyway. Iāll speak to my GP, although I donāt hold out much hope of getting anywhere with further tests. I do have an appointment at the stroke clinic in February, so could maybe raise it there.
It really has been a huge amount for you to take in and I do understand that your situation is different from mine. Apart from gastritis issues, I have no other health problems, as far as I know.
The whole thing has shaken me up, as it was just so out of the blue.
Please keep in touch and let me know how youāre getting on.
Hi Bee,
I meant to say to you that thereās a CRAO/BRAO group on Facebook if that would be of any interest to you.
Isla
1 Like
Thank you! I will have a look and join the group.
I would say ask away at your stroke clinic follow up - itās an important part of trying to move on.
Bx
Will definitely ask at my appointment.
isla
Dear Isla,
Wondering how you are getting on and whether you have any more answers?
Canāt remember if I told you that leaky heart valve has led to being immediately put on warfarin and so I am devastated that for now I cannot horse ride due to risk of falls.
Can I ask if anyone else on here is living with warfarin please? (Especially if you like riding horses too? 
So I have now also had a Trans oesophageal ECG and seen a cardiologist who is not sure of the cause of the valve damage (I have no heart symptoms) and has ordered a heart MRI. Rheumatologist was very matter of fact this week when I saw him after over two years, and he said with lupus and APS a clot was a matter of āif not whenā which I found really disappointing since heās never mentioned it before in the ten years Iāve been under his careā¦ I have asked to transfer to rheumatologist at the hospital who is managing my stroke care.
How is your vision? I had a six week follow up with ophthalmology and swelling is much reduced and back of the eye all looking healthy, but vision much the same. Maybe a bit more peripheral coming back. Brain getting more used to it though and still hoping for improvement with time.
All best,
Bx
Hi Bee,
Good to hear from you. I didnāt know about your heart valve diagnosis. That must have come as a shock to you, since you have no symptoms. Very disappointing for you not to be able to ride at the moment. Will you be able to get back to it at some point? How upsetting to hear that from your rheumatologist. Youāve been having quite a time of it.
Iāve had no more tests since I last posted, so Iām no further forward in knowing what caused the BRAO. I have an appointment at the stroke clinic next week, so Iāll ask more about tests then. I also had a follow up appointment at ophthalmology. My sight is quite good, so Iām happy enough about that, considering what might have happened.
My daughter-in-law has just been diagnosed with APS and is now coming to terms with that.
Keep in touch and let me know how you are.
Isla