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Neuro-Ophthalmic Deficits after Head Trauma

  • Neuro-Ophthalmology (A Kawasaki, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Head trauma can injure the afferent and/or efferent visual systems, resulting in neuro-ophthalmic deficits. When assessing afferent pathway injuries, a stepwise approach to evaluating visual acuity, pupils, color perception, and visual fields is critical. Traumatic optic neuropathy is of especial importance and its management must be tailored on a case-by-case basis. Efferent pathway injuries should be assessed with attention to abnormalities of ocular alignment and motility, which may occur as isolated deficits or as part of a recognizable syndrome. Concussion or diffuse axonal injuries may also affect ophthalmologic function. Here, we review the extant literature describing the assessment and acute treatment of traumatic neuro-ophthalmic deficits.

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Acknowledgment

Gregory P. Van Stavern has received grant support from the National MS Society.

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Conflict of Interest

Sarah M. Jacobs declares that she has no conflict of interest. Gregory P. Van Stavern has given medical-legal consultation for various companies.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, 660 South Euclid Ave, Campus Box 8096, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Sarah M. Jacobs & Gregory P. Van Stavern

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  1. Sarah M. Jacobs
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  2. Gregory P. Van Stavern
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Correspondence to Gregory P. Van Stavern.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Neuro-Ophthalmology

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Jacobs, S.M., Van Stavern, G.P. Neuro-Ophthalmic Deficits after Head Trauma. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 13, 389 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-013-0389-5

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