25 Sudden loss of vision
Depending on the disorder in question, sudden loss of vision may occur unilaterally or bilaterally, and there may or may not be changes in the appearance of the eye(s). It is also noteworthy that some animals that present for apparent sudden loss of vision are in fact afflicted by a chronic slowly progressive disorder with which they had previously been coping. Often a change of environment brings their loss of vision to the owner’s attention. Some causes of sudden blindness are shown in Table 25.1. In addition some causes of acute red eye (see Ch. 10) may also result in loss of vision.
Table 25.1 Causes of sudden loss of vision
| Cause | Unilateral or bilateral blindness | Other comments |
|---|---|---|
| Retinal separation (detachment) | Usually unilateral initially, potentially becoming bilateral | Causes include systemic hypertension, trauma, neoplasia, immune-mediated disease, exudate caused by inflammatory disease, and congenital disorders; also idiopathic
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