[Postpartum amaurosis in patients with pre-eclampsia].

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Obstetrics
• Ophthalmology

Background:

• Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and potential organ damage.
• Cortical blindness, affecting vision processing in the brain, is an uncommon manifestation of preeclampsia.
• Retinal changes are typically absent in this specific type of visual disturbance.

Observation:

• Two postpartum patients presented with sudden onset cortical blindness.
• In one case, blindness followed an eclamptic seizure.
• Visual symptoms appeared one to two days after delivery.

Findings:

• Both patients experienced complete vision recovery within two to three days.
• Recovery was associated with medical management of hypertension and cerebral edema.
• The presumed cause is transient vasospasm in the occipital cortex's small vessels.

Implications:

• This suggests that postpartum visual disturbances in preeclampsia may be reversible.
• Effective management of maternal hypertension and edema is crucial for neurological recovery.
• Highlights the importance of considering neurological causes for visual deficits in the postpartum period.