Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome presenting with atypical findings: case study

PRES (posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome) is a syndrome characterized by headache, confusion, seizures and altered mental status. A 26 years old woman came to emergency department with a history of hypertension, blurred vision and seizures. She was diagnosed as a G3P2L1 at 29 weeks + 1 day with IUGR with preeclampsia associated with deranged kidney functions later complicated by development of PRES. Patient underwent emergency LSCS and was kept on mechanical ventilator as condition worsened during immediate post-operative period. Dialysis was also done to regulate urea and creatinine levels. Patient was treated with anti-hypertensive, anti-epileptics, antibiotics, intravenous fluids and continuous monitoring of blood pressure. Patient’s condition improved gradually, and her discharge was planned. PRES is a condition, if managed in initial phase can lead to early recovery and reduce mortality.

Illicit drugs: Effects on eye

There is a myriad of changes that can be produced in the eye by toxic drugs ranging from mild/no symptoms to severe loss of vision from endophthalmitis. The routes of administration include oral ingestion, smoking, nasal inhalation, intravenous injection, topical application or application to other mucosal surfaces. It is important to recognize certain clinical signs and symptoms in the eye produced by these toxins. This article describes in brief some of the ocular effects of commonly abused drugs. For identification of a particular poisoning, in addition to the clinical presentation, pulse, blood pressure, respiration and body temperature, pupillary size, pupillary reaction to light, ocular convergence and nystagmus can be useful indicators of the type of drug the patient is exposed to. Unmasking these features help the clinician in an early and accurate diagnosis of the offending drug as well as timely management.

Clinical Features of Patients Complaining of Visual Symptoms and Diagnosed with Migraine

PURPOSE: To describe the characteristics of patients who visited Korean ophthalmology clinics complaining of visual symptoms and were diagnosed with migraine. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed by evaluating the patterns of visual symptoms, timing of headaches, and results of ophthalmologic examinations in 31 migraine patients who were recruited from a neuro-ophthalmology clinic. RESULTS: The patients consisted of 9 men and 22 women, with a mean age of 38.1 years (range, 12-71). The average age of symptom onset was 35.7 years (range, 12-64 years). The most common three visual symptoms were blurred vision (35.5%), blind spots (22.6%), and flashes of bright lights (22.6%). Visual symptoms disappeared within 5 minutes in 16 patients (51.6%) and 13 patients (41.9%) experienced visual symptoms before the onset of a headache. Brain magnetic resonance imaging findings in 14 cases revealed normal results and the remaining three patients showed minimal small vessel disease. Except for one patient who had exotropia, there was no other specific abnormality observed upon ophthalmologic examinations. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the migraine patients who first visited an ophthalmology clinic with visual symptoms had no definite ocular abnormalities. Thus, ophthalmologists must be aware that migraines could first present with various visual symptoms in order to make an early diagnosis of migraine.

Clinical Features and Treatment of Ocular Toxoplasmosis

Ocular toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the infection with Toxoplasma gondii through congenital or acquired routes. Once the parasite reaches the retina, it proliferates within host cells followed by rupture of the host cells and invasion into neighboring cells to make primary lesions. Sometimes the restricted parasite by the host immunity in the first scar is activated to infect another lesion nearby the scar. Blurred vision is the main complaint of ocular toxoplasmic patients and can be diagnosed by detection of antibodies or parasite DNA. Ocular toxoplasmosis needs therapy with several combinations of drugs to eliminate the parasite and accompanying inflammation; if not treated it sometimes leads to loss of vision. We describe here clinical features and currently available chemotherapy of ocular toxoplasmosis.

A study of cases with blurred vision or cecitas after cardiac or cerebral angiography / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To study the cause of blurred vision or cecitas after cardiac or cerebral angiography. Methods Six patients including 4 performed with cerebral angiography and 2 with cardiac angiography were analyzed. Results In those 6 patients, blurred vision happened in 4 cases, and cecitas appeared in 2 cases. Ophthalmologic examination revealed bilateral isocoria, thinning ophthalmic arteries and normal light reflex. Color Doppler flow imaging showed clearly the central retinal arteries. No cerebral infarction and brain hemorrhage were detected under CT. Conclusions Blurred vision and cecitas are the rare complications occurred with cardiac or cerebral angiography, probably with direct relationship to the concentration or dosage of the contrast media used, and the primary diseases of the patients.