Optic Neuropathy from Cobalt Toxicity in a Patient who Ingested Cattle Magnets

Abstract

Cobalt is a widely used in the industrial production of hard metals. Cobalt ingestion has been reported to cause widespread systemic toxicity, but its effects on vision have been sparsely reported. The authors report the case of a patient who ingested cattle magnets, which remained in his stomach for an unknown duration of time. These magnets largely consist of cobalt that gradually leached into his blood stream, resulting in protean systemic manifestations, which included optic atrophy.

KEYWORDS::

• cobalt
• optic neuropathy
• toxic

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Note: Figures 2–4 of this article are available in colour online at www.informahealthcare.com/oph.