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Eye Care (Expert Forum)
optic nerve damage/blindness
Answered by
Cabarrus Eye Center
NC
Our Ask A Doctor Ophthalmology Forum is where you can post your question and receive a personal answer from physicians affiliated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Doctor's Answer
by Sandra M Brown, MD, Nov 05, 2009 02:33PM
, Nov 05, 2009 02:33PM
Prolonged general anesthesia can, extremely rarely, lead to a condition called anterior ischemic optic neuropathy; this often affects both eyes. It is most often seen in patients having long spine surgeries when they are face down. It occurs even when the patient is never unstable or lacking oxygen during surgery. The small blood vessels that supply the optic nerves clot off. We have no idea why this happens in some patients, no way to predict it, and no way to prevent it.
In the case you describe, if the problem was truly "lack of oxygen", meaning lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, I would expect many other problems in addition to the blindness. Thus the condition may be anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.
In the case you describe, if the problem was truly "lack of oxygen", meaning lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, I would expect many other problems in addition to the blindness. Thus the condition may be anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.
Member Comments (2)
by loccast, Nov 20, 2009 07:47PM
To: Sandra M. Brown, MD
Head a grade 1 tumor removed four weeks ago. I now have prosopagnosia (face blindness). I cannot recognize faces, not even my own. Neurologist and Neuro Opthamologist have said to give it time. It could take months for brain swelling to decrease and brain circuits to reconnect. Waiting is frustrating. Anyone out there with a similar experience?
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