On the visual disturbances associated with massive basal aneurysms

When massive basal aneurysms compromise the anterior visual pathways the resulting disturbances of vision are diverse and a firm clinical diagnosis is difficult. Because of the rarity of the condition, a critical analysis of the visual defects was made in five personally studied patients with large anterior basal aneurysms in an effort to clarify the clinical features of the disorder. These observations were related to those reported in larger series of patients by Jefferson and Bull. This study gives support to the opinion that the commonest visual defect seen with massive basal aneurysms is impairment of visual acuity, followed next in frequency by bitemporal hemianopia, and then by junction scotoma.