plaque
Vessel Wall Deposit
Plain-language definition
Buildup of cholesterol, calcium, or inflammatory material in a vessel wall. Plaques can break loose and travel to retinal arteries, causing sudden vision loss.
Where this term comes up
“It can detect narrowing (stenosis) or plaques that may affect blood flow to the eyes and brain.”
Test · Carotid Ultrasound (Doppler)
“Appears as a plaque or granular opacity”
Condition · Posterior Subcapsular Cataract (PSC)
“Carotid artery disease: plaque in neck artery breaks off and temporarily blocks eye vessels”
Symptom · Transient Vision Loss
- Category
- Condition, finding, or disease process
- Also written as
- plaques
Pathology terms describe diseases, tissue changes, exam findings, or complications that can affect vision or eye comfort.
Related glossary terms
- MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- ischemia
Reduced Blood Supply
- macula
Central Retina
- amaurosis fugax
Sudden Brief Vision Loss in One Eye
- fibrillation
Irregular Heart Rhythm
- hemorrhage
Bleeding
A note on medical context
A glossary definition can explain a word, but it cannot tell you whether a symptom or test result is serious. If this term came from an article, use the full article and your clinician's guidance for context.