Abrupt loss of vision is a major medical emergency situation, and must be dealt with as quickly as possible.
Sudden loss of sight can be a symptom of a serious medical condition. If you experience unexpected loss of sight, you need to seek medical attention as rapidly as possible.
Sudden Blindness Symptoms
An unexpected loss of vision does not necessarily indicate overall blindness. Unexpected loss of sight can occur in one eye or both eyes, and the loss of sight can be partial or total.
With total vision loss, the sight in the affected eye (or eyes) is lost entirely, so that nothing can be seen with the affected eye. With partial vision loss, some sight might remain in the impacted eye.
Abrupt vision loss can consist of an unexpected loss of peripheral vision, sudden loss of central vision, or even an abrupt blurring of your vision. The unexpected appearance of spots within your visual field could also a symptom of a more severe condition.
Unexpected blindness may only last a short time, such as a couple of seconds, minutes or hours. Nevertheless, it could possibly be permanent, especially if not dealt with rapidly.
See also: Blurry Vision In One Eye Or Both Eyes: Causes and Treatment
Causes of Unexpected Vision Loss
Sudden loss of vision can happen for a variety of factors. Many hidden problems are extremely severe, and could potentially be sight-threatening and even deadly. It’s for that reason important to look for medical aid as soon as possible if you experience any abrupt loss of sight.
Damage to the retina
The retina is the focusing surface area at the back of your eye. Any damage to your retina, such as a detached retina or macular hole, is a possible cause of unexpected loss of sight.
A detached retina can cause total loss of vision in the impacted eye, or it may only lead to partial vision loss, making it appear as if a curtain is blocking part of your vision.
The macula is the main focusing area of the retina at the back of your eye. When a macular hole occurs, it leads to a loss of your central vision, while your peripheral or ‘side’ vision remains.
Vitreous haemorrhage
Some eye conditions can cause blood to leak into the vitreous ‘gel’ within the eye. This is called a vitreous haemorrhage. If this occurs, it can obstruct the light which enters the eye, triggering sudden blurred vision, or the sudden appearance of spots within your vision.
Serious medical conditions
There are some severe medical conditions that can cause unexpected loss of sight, such as a stroke or brain tumour. While these causes are rather unusual, it is nonetheless important to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Also read: Eye Stroke
Treatment for Unexpected Blindness
If you experience unexpected loss of sight or any abrupt loss of vision, you need to see an eye specialist straight away. Treatment will depend upon the cause of your unexpected loss of sight, however for the most parts of sudden loss of sight, the earlier you are dealt with, the much better your opportunity of a good outcome.
If you or anybody else suffers a sudden loss of vision, call Eye Institute right away on 0800 39 35 27 for a consultation with among our eye experts.
Two days back, a female patient aged 25 recently got wed consulted me for sudden loss of vision. There were no apparant symptoms except that she lost vision suddenly. High blood pressure was also normal. She had slight pain at back head after loss. I prescribed Gelsemium 1m three dosages and refered her to an eye splt for emergency assistance and diagnosing. When she got at home, she called me, now she can see right and left however infront there are star like light however can not see any thing infront …
Latest advancement is that, her mom told me that she is admitted in CMH (Combined Military Hospital) and have actually developed right sided paralysis. As the patient is far from me, we can only give them advice. The paralysis symptoms are appeared now. There were no signs at all earlier. It indicates loss of vision is in fact related with paralysis however symptoms were not prominent. Just for the sake of research study what do you state how might we manage such patient having loss of vision due to paralysis attack for future research study.