Re: Headache and Blurred Vision

Posted By Amitabha Roy on March 05, 1999 at 18:14:53:

In Reply to: Re: Headache and Blurred Vision posted by CCF MD GS on March 04, 1999 at 14:16:07:






Hi,
I am a 27 year old male with no prior history of headache. About 6 months
back I had a severe headache onset. Since that time I have been
having a daily headache with blurred vision. My CT scans, VEP are
all normal.  I was put on Serzone (which blurred my vision even more)
and Remeron which did nothing. I am now on 75 mg Elavil and the
pain seems to have been controlled.
I am extremely worried about my vision. I am sensitive to bright lights
and when I read, the letters pulsate and I see streaks across the paper.
Opthalmologic and neurologic exams are all normal. What is the best
accepted course of treatment when there is a chronic neurologic deficit like this blurred
vision ?
I realize that this could be the anti depressant. But I don't think
so - the characteristics of my blurred vision are exactly as it
was in the beginning before start of anti deps.  




THanks for the question. I take it that the vision is blurred all the time and even though your headache is better you still have blurred vision? If you close one eye and then the other and the vision is still blurred then it makes a local eye problem unlikely since it affects both eyes. If the blurring is only in one eye then it could be a primary eye problem. The fact that the imagining and VEP are normal is good. Patients that develop optic neuritis as a cause of visual blurring usually have a problem in just one eye and it can be detected on physical exam. The sudden onset is interesting but nothing sounds progressive. Have you had a spinal tap? Some patients develop something called pseudotumor cerebri or elevated intracranial pressure. The elevated spinal pressure cause headaches and can cause some visual blurring. A spinal tap can measure the pressure to make sure it is okay. The eye doctor can usually see the swelling, however, on the optic nerve. This condition often effects individuls who are overweight? Certain medications like tetracyclin can also be linked. You should talk to your doctor about a spinal tap. If it is normal you should have a dilated eye exam by an ophtholmologist. Good luck
This iformation is provided for general medical education purposes only. Please consult your doctor regarding diagnostic and treatment options.