Acute conditions of the posterior segment

• Acute blindness can be caused by quinine overdosing and methanol intoxication (danger of home brewed alcohol).

• Konzo is a disease caused by chronic cassava intoxication (cyanide poisoning) and can cause blindness in addition to other neurological problems. However, the disease never occurs in tourists.

• Retinal haemorrhages (spontaneous, with trombocytopenia or with altitude sickness), retina detachment and occlusion of the vena centralis retinae or arteria centralis retinae can be detected by fundoscopy. Do not forget loss of sight in giant cell arteritis (arteritis temporalis). Amaurosis fugax due to microembolism frequently occurs recurrently and unilaterally.

• Rift Valley Fever, Toxoplasma retinitis, CMV retinitis, can lead to blindness.

Category: Ophthalmology Notes