Double Vision Symptom - Is it Related to Aortic Stenosis ?

My mother is 82 years old. When I was out with her yesterday she suddenly lost her vision while walking. She said everything appeared like she was looking crosseyed and felt a pain near her eye. For a minute or more she couldn't correct it. She said she didn't feel light headed or dizzy but she couldn't focus her vision. She has never had this problem before and it may her quite worried. She is not normally a worrier so it got me pretty concerned.

My Mom has Aortic Stenosis (her valve area is .9 ) but very seldom experiences any of the symptoms (i.e. Shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness). Her cardiologist saw her last week (before the incident) and said she was doing fine.

Could this vision problem be related to the Aortic Stenosis ?

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

Dear Dan

It is conceivable that these symptoms are due to the aortic stenosis. More likely, it involves a problem with the blood circulation to the eye or the part of the brain that controls vision. Another possibility is that it is a problem with the eye itself. She should have these possibilities investigated by her doctors soon.

I hope this has been useful. I wish you the best of luck. Feel free to write back.

Information provided here is for general purposes only. Specific questions should be addressed to your own doctor. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.