blindness

12 years ago I had severe preeclampsia at 32 weeks pregnancy which resulted in a fetal demise.  There was a lot of blood loss due to the placenta ripping fromt the uterine wall...4 days after the experience and when I was in ICU, my blood pressure was very very high and they had trouble controlling it and often used nitroglycerin under my tongue to rapidly decrease my bloo pressure.  I started to have strange color flashes with my vision.  It actually looked like bright color dials going in circular motions.  Then shortly afterward i lost my sight but could see only extreme peripheral vision  I couldn't see things looking straight ahead, only wide angles..this lasted 3 weeks total and then it was healed.  I can see fine now.

What is this called, and why did this happen?  What caused the strange blindness?  Please respond with as full of an explanation as you can.

Thanks

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

You need to see an Eye MD and you need to schedule a "peripheral field of vision test". You could have had small stroke, migraine equivalent, emboli to eye/brain or a number other problems. Find an eye MD at www.aao.org   You problem can also cause a type of glaucoma called low or normal tension glaucoma.

JCH II MD