A shade descending over one eye due to embolic plaque from the carotid artery is called what?

• A. Amaurosis fugax
• B. Amaurosis totalis
• C. Retinal detachment
• D. Strabismus

Answer: (A)

Transient monocular vision loss from retinal ischemia due to a carotid-origin embolus is amaurosis fugax. The description of a shade or curtain sweeping down over one eye captures the classic presentation: a brief, curtain-like loss of vision that resolves within seconds to minutes as the embolus clears or collateral blood flow restores retinal perfusion. This event is a warning sign of carotid artery disease and carries stroke risk, so it prompts urgent vascular evaluation and risk-factor management. Retinal detachment can also create a curtain effect, but it tends to be persistent and progressive, often with flashes and floaters, not a brief, self-resolving episode. Amaurosis totalis would imply complete, not partial, vision loss in one eye, and strabismus involves eye misalignment with diplopia rather than transient retinal ischemia.