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Reversible cortical blindness: posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome
Sabyasachi Bandyopadhyay1, Kanchan Kumar Mondal, Somnath Das
1Department of Ophthalmology, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata 700004.
Journal of the Indian Medical Association
|April 23, 2011
Summary
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) can cause temporary blindness. This study reports 3 cases of PRES, showing potential for visual recovery after treatment.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Ophthalmology
- Radiology
Background:
- Cortical blindness involves vision loss with intact eyes, caused by occipital cortex lesions.
- Common causes include cerebral artery issues, trauma, and tumors.
- Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a treatable form of cortical blindness.
Observation:
- Three cases of PRES are presented.
- These cases involved patients with conditions like hypertension and diabetes.
- Visual deficits ranged from partial to complete blindness.
Findings:
- All three patients experienced visual recovery.
- Recovery was complete or partial within a 6-month follow-up period.
- Treatment led to significant improvement in visual function.
Implications:
- PRES is a critical diagnosis for reversible vision loss.
- Prompt recognition and management can restore sight.
- This highlights the importance of managing underlying conditions like hypertension in PRES.
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