‹‹ Previous… Who can have visual loss after surgery?

What does this blindness look like?

The visual loss varies when the eye's nerves have suffered damage. The eye has many nerves and not all need be damaged. Also, the blindness may not affect both eyes. It depends on where the edema lasted longest.

For the Physician:
ISCHEMIA TO THE ANTERIOR OPTIC NERVE
     · Optic disc edema on initial exam
     · Vision occasionally improves
ISCHEMIA TO THE POSTERIOR OPTIC NERVE
     · Initially normal fundoscopic exam
     · Delayed edema to the optic disc
     · Vision seldom improves.

Is partial visual loss all that devastating?

People depend on their eyesight to an amazing degree. Even partial visual loss can hamper your mobility, making everyday tasks such as walking, climbing stairs or cooking dangerous or impossible.

Beyond the services supplied by a hospital, there are national organizations that can help someone who suffers from blindness:

National Foundation of the Blind, 410-659-9314
American Foundation of the Blind, 800-232-5463
American Council of the Blind, 800-424-866

Download:
· an educational handout for patients PDF
· an educational booklet for physicians PDF

‹‹ Previous… Who can have visual loss after surgery?

Partial visual loss
(click to enlarge)

Illustration of decreased vision
(click to enlarge)

Black areas represent total loss of vision; grey areas represent blurred areas