Patients who present with visual disturbance are often very distressed, with their quality of life affected, including their ability to drive. Below is a list of common conditions that may give rise to visual problems, grouped according to symptoms.

Causes

Visual disturbances (flashing lights or floaters)

  • Migraine

  • Retinal detachment

  • Vitreous haemorrhage

  • Age-related macular degeneration

  • Vitreous detachment

Blurring of vision

  • Refractive errors (long or short sighted)

  • Head injuries

  • Acute angle-closure glaucoma

  • Blunt trauma to the eye

Loss of vision

Partial loss

  • Homonymous hemianopia – stroke, tumour

  • Peripheral field loss – glaucoma, papilloedema

  • Central field loss – age-related macular degeneration

  • Bitemporal hemianopia – pituitary tumour

  • Horizontal field loss – retinal vascular occlusion

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