Modern Health Observation

Symptoms

Symptoms related to papilledema are caused by increased pressure and include headache and nausea with vomiting and a sound like a machine. Twenty-five percent of people with advanced papilledema also develop visual symptoms. Generally, the visual changes are recurring brief episodes lasting less than 30 seconds during which the vision turns gray or black, sometimes described as a veil which falls over the eyes.

Symptoms usually affect both eyes at the same time. These locks are often visually triggered by a change of position, as standing suddenly or may be caused by coughing or straining the chest or abdomen. Sometimes people may experience papilledema flashing lights, which often are seen as an arch. Over time, other visual changes occur, including decreased visual field with a blind spot over grade and eventually blindness if not treated properly the problem.

Diagnosis

The front end of the optic nerve is seen from the back of the eye area when your doctor or eye specialist look through the pupil with an ophthalmoscope. The rounded front end is just over 1.5 centimeters (just over half an inch). Normally, the front end of the nerve called the optic disc, has a rough outline and slightly dented. If the optical disc seems high and has an outer edge blur, your doctor can diagnose papilledema. The pressure inside the nerve can cause congestion of the draining vein. In addition, the minimum pulse usually seen in the veins of the eyes tend to disappear. When papilledema is severe, small reddish spots could be observed due to local bleeding or spots of color change on the retina due to the accumulation of particles or damaged retinal cells.

The physical examination will also include a visual field control. Papilledema causes enlargement of the blind spot in each eye near the nose and reduced peripheral vision (the edges). To control your field of vision, your doctor may compare your vision with it sitting in front of you and move your fingers in and out of your visual field. An ophthalmologist can examine more formally the visual fields using a grid to measure vision.

The findings show that you have a papilledema should be treated urgently. It is appropriate to an x-ray of the brain within 24 hours so you can quickly diagnose a brain tumor if it exists. These tests include a computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

If the radiograph shows no abnormality in the brain, most patients need a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to measure cerebrospinal fluid pressure. The pseudotumor cerebri is a common cause of papilledema when the brain scan is normal.

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