Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Neurology (Expert Forum)
Teenage Temporary Blindness
This forum is for questions and support regarding neurology issues such as: Alzheimer's Disease, ALS, Autism, Brain Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Pain, Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Headaches, MS, Neuralgia, Neuropathy, Parkinson's Disease, RSD, Sleep Disorders, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury
Teenage Temporary Blindness
by gramaM, Jul 16, 2005 12:00AM
my 12 yr old granddaughter is getting 3 second bouts of temporary blindness. 2 eye doctors have said it's probably hormone caused and come back in 6 months.
should she be seen by a different kind of specialist to further diagnose this condition? what kind? what other possible things can we do for her?
should she be seen by a different kind of specialist to further diagnose this condition? what kind? what other possible things can we do for her?
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW, Jul 19, 2005 12:00AM
Temporary blindness has a variety of causes
However, as I do not know the specifics of your granddaughters case, I cannot say which specific one is more likely
There are some vascular causes such as occipital lobe migraine, ischemia (lack of blood flow) to the optic nerve or retina, small blood clots to the eye circulation, or a vasculitis
Soemtimes pressure on the optic nerve can cause transient blindness, so-called, 'visual obscurations', caused by a mass behind the eye or increased pressure in the CSF or brain venous system such as idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Transient blindness due to metabolic disease is probably uncommon - an earlier age is more typical. There are also psychiatric causes such as psychogenic blindness. There are frug related and toxic causes also
These are conditions that you should discuss with your doctor to see how likely any of them are. Of course, she should have a good dilated eye exam, visual acuity and visual field testing. An electrical visual evoked potential study may reveal an optic nerve problem, or if normal in the presence of blindness suggests pschogenic blindness. An MRI can ruleout a mass lesion, and an MR venogram can evaluate the brain venous system.
IF you are in the Ohio area, Drs. Lee or Kosmorsky at teh Cleveland Clinic Neuro-ophthalmology Center could help
However, as I do not know the specifics of your granddaughters case, I cannot say which specific one is more likely
There are some vascular causes such as occipital lobe migraine, ischemia (lack of blood flow) to the optic nerve or retina, small blood clots to the eye circulation, or a vasculitis
Soemtimes pressure on the optic nerve can cause transient blindness, so-called, 'visual obscurations', caused by a mass behind the eye or increased pressure in the CSF or brain venous system such as idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Transient blindness due to metabolic disease is probably uncommon - an earlier age is more typical. There are also psychiatric causes such as psychogenic blindness. There are frug related and toxic causes also
These are conditions that you should discuss with your doctor to see how likely any of them are. Of course, she should have a good dilated eye exam, visual acuity and visual field testing. An electrical visual evoked potential study may reveal an optic nerve problem, or if normal in the presence of blindness suggests pschogenic blindness. An MRI can ruleout a mass lesion, and an MR venogram can evaluate the brain venous system.
IF you are in the Ohio area, Drs. Lee or Kosmorsky at teh Cleveland Clinic Neuro-ophthalmology Center could help
My Niece of two and a half yrs old complains of temporary blindness, on 3 occassions that I know of, lasting no more than 30seconds usually less. Her mother seems to not want to take her seriously and has not been to see her GP (doctor).
Usually this occurs upon waking from a sleep during the day, Yesterday however she was walking across the kithchen when she suddenly became distressed and complained she couldn't see. This lasted about 5-10 seconds. Being a Podiatrist I noticed that her gait changed during this time, to maintain her balance as one would if suddenly blind, which is why I don't think she is pretending or something as her mother seems to think.
What would be your advice?
Cheers Dave Smith