Visual manifestations of occipital lobe infarction in three patients on a geriatric psychiatry unit

The authors present three cases of hospitalized patients on a geriatric psychiatry floor who were found to have previously undiagnosed occipital lobe infarctions associated with visual manifestations. The manifestations discussed are visual field defects, visual hallucinations, and color anomia. The incidence of undiagnosed occipital lobe infarctions and the contribution of these infarctions to visual perception changes in this patient population are unknown. The authors suggest that for patients who present with visual perception changes, a high index of suspicion for occipital lobe infarction should be maintained. Careful visual field testing is an essential part of the admitting work-up for hospitalized geriatric patients.