Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Retinal Vascular Reactivity as Assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Published on: March 26, 2020
Carbon monoxide-induced cortical visual loss: treatment with hyperbaric oxygen four years later
Mehmet G Senol1, Senol Yildiz, Dilaver Ersanli
1Department of Neurology, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Haydarpasa Teaching Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Objective:
We present a patient who developed visual loss after carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and was treated with hyperbaric oxygen.
Clinical Presentation And Intervention:
A 21-year-old woman poisoned with CO (with coma lasting 4 h and carboxyhemoglobin level 46%) developed seizures and cortical blindness 3 days after poisoning. Four years later, her visual acuity was 0.2 in both eyes. An (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) scan showed reduced metabolism in the bilateral posterior temporal and occipital lobes. The patient received a total of 50 hyperbaric oxygen sessions over 3 months for visual loss and the visual acuity improved to 0.5 in both eyes. In addition, increased metabolism was detected in the brain in post-treatment PET scans.
Conclusion:
PET documented brain hypoperfusion 4 years after CO poisoning and hyperbaric oxygen therapy improved visual acuity. However, we cannot endorse routine use of hyperbaric oxygen for such patients, until results of further clinical trials demonstrate efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen in CO-induced chronic brain injury.
Related Concept Videos
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Oxygen Therapy for Respiratory Failure
Oxygen therapy is vital in increasing and maintaining blood oxygen levels in PAH patients. As a result, it aids in reducing fatigue, improving...
Open Angle Glaucoma: Treatment
Drugs such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, α2- and...
Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment
Glaucoma: Overview
Hypoxia
Types of Hypoxia
There are four primary types of hypoxia, each resulting from a different cause:
1. Anemic hypoxia: This type occurs due to insufficient oxygen delivery caused by a lack of red blood cells (RBCs) or RBCs with abnormal or...

