Overview and Facts about Transient Visual Loss
Transient visual loss is an eye condition that occurs in adults or children affecting one or both eyes and can last a few seconds or hours.
The primary cause of a transient visual loss episode is reduced blood flow (ischemia) to your optic nerve, which transmits visual information from your eyes to your brain. Another common condition associated with transient visual loss is a migraine headache.
While most episodes are mild, transient visual loss may be a symptom of a more serious, life-threatening condition.
Signs and Symptoms of Transient Visual Loss
Transient visual loss can also be a symptom of other conditions. The primary sign of transient visual loss is a temporary disturbance of vision, which is typically painless.
Some patients will experience darkening, brightening, or flickering of vision that covers all or part of the visual field. For example, migraine headaches can cause flickering that zigzags across the field of vision and lasts 20-30 minutes.
Causes and Risk Factors of Transient Visual Loss
Transient visual loss is caused by a number of other conditions. One of the main causes is reduced blood flow (ischemia) to the nerve, resulting from clogged arteries or circulatory disorders.
A migraine headache is commonly associated with transient visual loss, along with conditions that create pressure on the optic nerve.
Risk factors for transient visual loss include:
Tests and Diagnosis of Transient Visual Loss
To diagnose the cause of transient visual loss, your doctor will ask a number of questions, including whether one or both eyes were affected, how long the episode lasted, and if it was a complete or partial visual loss.
Your doctor will also perform an eye examination looking for optic nerve damage and swelling of the blood vessels behind your eyes. Blood tests are frequently taken as blood disorders and circulatory problems are often causes of vision loss.
If symptoms still cannot be explained, neuroimaging and echocardiography may be used for a closer examination of the nervous and circulatory structures that block the visual pathway.
Treatment and Care for Transient Visual Loss
Treatment of transient visual loss depends on the underlying cause. If a reduced blood flow to the optic nerve is responsible, then therapies to manage conditions like high blood pressure and atherosclerosis are usually recommended.
If transient visual loss occurs in only one eye, then patients may benefit from medications that reduce the formation of blood clots; in severe cases, patients may consider surgery that investigates the carotid artery for blockage or compression.
