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Transient vision disorders
Last reviewed: 20.11.2021
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I. Transient blindness or reduction in vision of one eye
Transient monocular blindness can be observed with cardiogenic embolism or by the severance of thrombus fragments in the carotid bifurcation zone (less often from other arteries or in the abusive use of certain medications).
Usually this is a short (3-5 minutes) episode of quadrant, half or total loss of vision, accompanied by contralateral hemiplegia with (or without) hemihypesthesia (oculo-hemiplegic syndrome).
Hemodynamic disorders with severe atheromatosis or other occlusive vascular diseases (Takayasu's disease), as well as in situations of hypoperfusion (heart failure, arrhythmia, acute hypovolemia, coagulopathy) is another possible cause of transient monocular blindness.
Vascular disorders in the orbit and optic nerve (anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, occlusion of the central artery of the retina or its branch, occlusion of the central vein of the retina).
Neurological causes of transient blindness are diverse and cause transient visual impairment in both eyes simultaneously or sequentially due to edema of the nipple (processes in the brain and optic nerve region, for example, multiple sclerosis), less often due to other causes (tumor, migraine, psychogenic disorders view).
Idiopathic variants of transient monocular blindness are possible, when a detailed examination does not reveal any possible causes of its occurrence.
Psychogenic transient monocular blindness.
II. Transient blindness or loss of vision in both eyes
- Migraine (vasospasm).
- Cerebral hypoperfusion (thromboembolism, systemic hypotension, increased blood viscosity).
- Epilepsy.
- Edema of the nipple of the optic nerve (transient vision loss).