Ask the doctor

Did a stroke damage my vision?

Q. A few months ago I gradually lost about 50% of the vision in my right eye. My ophthalmologist says this was caused by a small stroke. Am I now at higher risk for future strokes or heart attacks than someone who has not had a stroke?

A. It sounds like you had a retinal artery embolus rather than a stroke, which would have affected both of your eyes. That technicality aside, the implications for your future are essentially the same as if you did have a small stroke.