Sight disorders

Symptoms

But what are the symptoms of a visual disturbance?

• ‘Double vision’ (known as diplopia) can be caused, for example, by excessive alcohol consumption, by disorders of certain cranial nerves or in connection with multiple sclerosis.
• Seeing lightning flashes or even the feeling of seeing through a curtain usually occurs in conjunction with detachment of the retina.
• If, for example, you feel you have a veil in front of your eyes or you see everything around you as blurred, these symptoms may be due to glaucoma, weak eyesight, excessive strain on the eyes or retinal detachment.
• Certain 'disruptive elements’ such as a ‘shower’ of floaters or ‘flying mosquitoes’ (known by the medical term ‘mouches volantes’) in front of the eyes may indicate conditions such as retinal detachment or vitreous detachment.
• Visual field defects (commonly known as ‘tunnel vision’) may also be caused by glaucoma or tumours.
• Disorders of colour vision can either be congenital (as in the case of red-green colour blindness) or acquired (e.g. as a result of a glaucoma attack – a sudden increase in intraocular pressure caused by an impaired flow of the aqueous humour – or poisoning by digitalis, a strong heart remedy derived from the leaves of the digitalis (foxglove)).

Diagnosis 

Visual disturbances are diagnosed by an ophthalmologist. He or she will first of all ask you about your medical history in detail (case history). He or she will then ask you a wide range of questions to find out when the visual disturbances occur, how they manifest themselves (e.g. through eye twitching or double vision) and whether you have any other complaints (e.g. eye pain, headaches, nausea). The ophthalmologist will then carry out various examinations to uncover the cause of your visual disturbance and then be able to treat it accordingly:

• Ophthalmological examination: In the case of eye problems such as impaired vision, an eye examination by an ophthalmologist is a routine course of action. Among other things, the ophthalmologist will check vision and can therefore identify a refractive error in the eyes as the cause of the visual disturbances, for example.
• The slit lamp examination: Using an ophthalmological instrument – the slit lamp – the ophthalmologist can examine the anterior (front) segment of the eye to diagnose cataracts or inflammation of the middle layer of the eye (known as uveitis).
• Ophthalmoscopy: The back of the eye is examined with the aid of an ophthalmoscopy. This is important, for example, if the reason for the visual disturbance is a retinal disease or an eye tumour.
• Measurement of intraocular pressure (tonometry): It is mainly performed when glaucoma is suspected as being the cause of the visual disturbance.
• Blood tests: If an infectious inflammation of the optic nerve or Graves’ disease is suspected, a blood test often provides the information needed.
• Neurological investigations: If certain neurological disorders or diseases (e.g. multiple sclerosis, inflammation of the optic nerve) could explain the visual disturbances, the condition and function of the nerve pathways must be checked.
• Ultrasound examination (medical term: sonography): An eye ultrasound scan is necessary to diagnose retinal detachment, eye tumours or optic nerve changes.
• X-ray examination of the blood vessels (known as angiography): Vessels in the retina and in some cases in the choroid can be made visible and examined on X-ray images by injecting dyes. This vascular X-ray is particularly important if there is a suspicion of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT): These complex imaging techniques are used, for example, for visual disturbances caused by tumours, brain aneurysms, and cerebral haemorrhages.

Aftercare 

It is important that you regularly have all the necessary check-ups carried out by your ophthalmologist. This is the only way to ensure that your eyes are properly healthy.

The frequency and duration of the check-ups, or the time interval between the individual examinations, depend, of course, on the condition that is causing your visual disturbance, and also on its severity.

It is therefore essential that you coordinate your further, individual treatment plan with the ophthalmologist treating you.