Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2026
07:12
A Gaze-Contingent Display Framework for Perceptual Learning Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss
Published on: April 11, 2025
Diagnosing and managing functional visual complications after brain injury
Christine L Allison1, Helen Gabriel, Darrell Schlange
1Illinois College of Optometry, 3241 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60616, USA. callison@ico.edu
Optometry (St. Louis, Mo.)
|January 25, 2008
Summary
Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) hemorrhage can cause brain injury in teenagers, leading to visual and perceptual deficits. Prompt diagnosis and management of these complications, including latent nystagmus, are crucial for recovery.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Ophthalmology
- Vascular Surgery
Background:
- Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) hemorrhage is a rare cause of brain injury in adolescents.
- Intracranial hemorrhage from AVMs can result in significant neurological and ocular complications.
Observation:
- A 15-year-old female presented with horizontal diplopia after surgery for a ruptured cerebral AVM.
- Pre-injury, she had no visual complaints; post-injury, she exhibited accommodative insufficiency, oculomotor dysfunction, dry eye, and latent nystagmus.
- Visual sequential memory deficits were also identified.
Findings:
- Thorough near-point testing revealed a newly acquired latent nystagmus.
- Visual perceptual testing confirmed a severe visual sequential memory deficit.
- Diplopia and oculomotor dysfunction were directly linked to the nystagmus.
Implications:
- Brain injury in young adults can manifest as complex visual and perceptual issues.
- Comprehensive neuro-ophthalmic evaluation is essential for identifying all affected functions.
- Tailored interventions, including visual aids and dry eye management, can improve patient outcomes.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Prosopagnosia
Prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness, is the inability to recognize faces. In severe cases, individuals with prosopagnosia may not recognize close family members, including parents and spouses, by their faces. For instance, someone with prosopagnosia might walk past their child in a crowd, only realizing their mistake upon noticing their child's distinctive backpack or favorite jacket. Prosopagnosia specifically impairs facial recognition, while the recognition of other objects or...
01:26Visual System
Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...
01:12Visual Agnosia
Visual agnosia is a condition characterized by the inability to recognize visually presented objects despite having normal vision. For instance, a person with visual agnosia can describe the shape and color of an object but cannot identify or name it. This impairment does not affect their visual field, acuity, color vision, brightness discrimination, language, or memory. An example of this condition in a social setting is someone at a dinner party asking for "that silver thing with a round end"...
01:28Traumatic Brain Injury l: Introduction
DefinitionTraumatic brain injury, or TBI, is a disturbance of normal brain function induced by an external mechanical force, such as a direct blow to the head or a penetrating injury. It can affect both brain structure and function, producing a wide range of clinical outcomes. TBI is a heterogeneous condition, meaning its effects may differ based on the type, location, and severity of the injury.Basis of ClassificationTBI is classified based on severity, injury mechanism, or pathophysiology. In...
01:22Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways
At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...
01:24Vision
Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.