Kent W. Small, MD
Board-Certified: American Board of Ophthalmology
Fellowship: Vitreoretinal Diseases and Surgery, Duke University Eye Center, Durham, NC; Molecular Genetics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
MD: Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
Specialized care for retinal diseases:
- Macular degeneration
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Retinal tears & detachments
- Inherited retinal diseases
- Retinal vascular disease
- Macular holes
- Macular puckers
- Macular edema
- Proliferative vitreoretinopathy/scar tissue
State-of-the-art diagnostic exams:
- Fluorescein & indocyanine green (ICG) angiography
- Fundus photography
- Scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO)
- Ultrasound A & B scans
- Visual field testing
- Microperimetry
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT)
Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion
Most people know that high blood pressure and other vascular diseases pose risks to overall health, but many may not know that high blood pressure can affect vision by damaging the arteries in the eye.
Branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) blocks the small arteries in the retina, the light-sensing nerve layer lining the back of the eye. The most common cause of BRAO is a thrombosis, the formation of a blood clot. Sometimes the blockage is caused by an embolus, a clot carried by the blood from another part of the body.
Central vision is lost suddenly if the blocked retinal artery is one that nourishes the macula, the part of the retina responsible for fine, sharp vision. Following BRAO, vision can range from normal (20/20) to being barely able to detect hand movement.
BRAO poses significant risks to vision. If you have had a branch retinal artery occlusion, regular visits to Dr. Kent Small are essential.
Cedars-Sinai medical towers | 8635 West 3rd Street, Suite 395-W, Los Angeles, CA 90048 | Tel: (310) 659-2200 | Fax: (310) 659-2822 Glendale Office | 501 North Orange Street Suite 250, Glendale, CA 91203 | Tel: (818) 552-5040 | Fax: (818) 552-5044