Sudden Painless Visual Loss

Dinowitz, Marc; Leen, Jeff S; Hameed, Meera; Wolansky, Leo; Frohman, Larry

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Volume 46, Issue 2 , Pages 143-148, September 2001

Sudden Painless Visual Loss☆

Marc Dinowitz, MD
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Newark, NJ, USA
Jeff S Leen, MD
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Newark, NJ, USA
Meera Hameed, MD
- Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Newark, NJ, USA
Leo Wolansky, MD
- Department of Radiology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Newark, NJ, USA
Larry Frohman, MD
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Newark, NJ, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Newark, NJ, USA
- Reprint address: Larry P. Frohman, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, UMDNJ —New Jersey Medical School, Doctors Office Center—6th Floor, 90 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07103-2499

Abstract

Common signs and symptoms of temporal arteritis include headache, scalp tenderness, jaw claudication, anemia, and an elevated sedimentation rate (ESR). Severe complications can include blindness, retinal artery occlusion, and optic neuropathy. While temporal arteritis may be suggested by patient history, other causes that can mimic its presentation must be considered, especially when visual loss occurs in the setting of a normal funduscopic exam. We report a case of invasive sino-orbital aspergillosis that mimicked the clinical signs and symptoms typically associated with temporal arteritis. A high index of suspicion and appropriate radiological and laboratory studies prevented delays in formulating the correct diagnosis and treatment plan.

Keywords: aspergillosis, blindness, giant cell arteritis, optic neuropathy