A Pregnant Pause

published online 25 September 2009.

Abstract

A 23-year-old pregnant woman presented with a rapidly progressive unilateral optic neuropathy. The evaluation was complicated by her being pregnant and the issues surrounding the evaluation and management of the pregnant patient with a neuro-ophthalmic finding is discussed. Eventually an orbital apex lesion was found and proved to be an orbital schwannoma. Rapid growth of an orbital schwannoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of progressive visual loss in a pregnant patient.

Peter Savino and Helen Danesh-Meyer, Editors

Key words: evaluation, optic neuropathy, orbital schwannoma, pregnancy

1 Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

2 Department of Neurology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

3 Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

4 H. Stanley Thompson Neuro-ophthalmology Clinic at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

5 Oculoplastic and Orbital Surgery Service, Wills Eye Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Reprint address: Andrew G Lee, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, The Methodist Hospital, 6565 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030.

The authors reported no proprietary or commercial interest in any product mentioned or concept discussed in this article.

PII: S0039-6257(09)00158-1

doi:10.1016/j.survophthal.2009.03.007

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