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Cortical blindness after motorcycle accident: a case report
S Sinawat1, T Ratanapakorn, Y Yospaiboon
1Department of Ophthalmology, Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Thailand.
Summary
A motorcycle accident caused permanent cortical blindness in a 47-year-old man. Despite head trauma and occipital lobe hemorrhages, he had no other neurological deficits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Trauma Surgery
Background:
- Head trauma can cause various neurological and visual impairments.
- Cortical blindness, resulting from damage to the occipital cortex, is a severe visual impairment.
Observation:
- A 47-year-old Thai man experienced acute bilateral blindness post-head trauma from a motorcycle accident.
- Ocular examinations revealed normal findings except for bruising and subconjunctival hemorrhage.
- Emergency CT scans identified intracerebral hemorrhages in both occipital lobes.
Findings:
- The patient presented with complete vision loss (light perception only) in both eyes.
- No other neurological deficits were detected, despite the occipital lobe injuries.
- The blindness was diagnosed as permanent cortical blindness.
Implications:
- This case highlights a rare presentation of traumatic brain injury.
- It underscores the possibility of isolated cortical blindness without associated neurological deficits.
- Understanding such rare outcomes is crucial for trauma management and neuro-ophthalmic patient care.
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