Clinical observations on ten cases of methanol poisoning with particular reference to ocular manifestations

Clinical observations on 10 cases of methanol poisoning, with particular reference to ocular manifestations, are reported. Four patients stated that they had blurring of vision, one of these also had a temporary loss of the lower parts of the visual fields and another one visual hallucinations. Hyperaemia or oedema of the optic discs were found in 5 patients. Two of the patients died, another was severely ill and suffered from impaired vision for a long period of time afterwards. In none of the surviving patients detectable remaining damage to the retina could be revealed by recording the a- and the b-waves of the electroretinogram. Recording of the visual evoked responses showed that one patient had transient subnormal amplitudes in one eye. However, on follow-up registrations all of the patients had values within normal limits. The results of the investigation show a considerable individual variation in susceptibility to methanol poisoning.