Neuro–ophthalmic complications in pregnancy

Abstract

Neuro–ophthalmic conditions associated with pregnancy challenge the ophthalmologist to make the correct diagnosis and recommend appropriate treatment. Pregnancy is a dynamic vascular state, making it likely that vascular disorders can occur. There are also conditions that occur more frequently in this age group (e.g., idiopathic intracranial hypertension), and the ophthalmologist will be instrumental in the evaluation of the condition. Other pregnancy-specific conditions, such as preeclampsia and eclampsia, present with neuro–ophthalmic findings. Diagnosis is crucial before appropriate treatment can be initiated. Treatment must consider the effect on both the woman and the fetus. This article explores the diagnosis and treatment of neuro–ophthalmic conditions in pregnancy.

Keywords::

• cranial neuropathy
• eclampsia
• idiopathic intracranial hypertension
• migraine
• neuro–ophthalmology
• optic neuritis
• papilledema
• pituitary tumor
• preeclampsia
• pregnancy
• stroke
• vascular disorder

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Susan Schulman for her expert editorial assistance, and Bradley Katz for his suggestions.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work is supported in part by an unrestricted grant from Research To Prevent Blindness, Inc., NY, USA to the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Utah. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

Adapted with permission from [24].