Biomaterial Database

Sudden painless visual loss: retinal causes. 1999

P V Whitmore

Department of Ophthalmology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, USA.

Sudden painless visual loss occurs in retinal disorders that reflect primary ocular disease, as well as systemic disease. This article reviews vitreous and retinal detachment and macular degeneration as ocular causes of sudden visual loss. Retinal changes that are caused by systemic disease, including infectious retinitis, occlusion of retinal vessels, and proliferative new vessel formation, are reviewed. In each instance, the retinal examination should provide the ocular or systemic diagnosis or lead to the diagnosis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008268	Macular Degeneration	Degenerative changes in the RETINA usually of older adults which results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field (the MACULA LUTEA) because of damage to the retina. It occurs in dry and wet forms.	Maculopathy,Maculopathy, Age-Related,Age-Related Macular Degeneration,Age-Related Maculopathies,Age-Related Maculopathy,Macular Degeneration, Age-Related,Macular Dystrophy,Maculopathies, Age-Related,Age Related Macular Degeneration,Age Related Maculopathies,Age Related Maculopathy,Age-Related Macular Degenerations,Degeneration, Macular,Dystrophy, Macular,Macular Degeneration, Age Related,Macular Degenerations,Macular Dystrophies,Maculopathies,Maculopathy, Age Related
D009389	Neovascularization, Pathologic	A pathologic process consisting of the proliferation of blood vessels in abnormal tissues or in abnormal positions.	Angiogenesis, Pathologic,Angiogenesis, Pathological,Neovascularization, Pathological,Pathologic Angiogenesis,Pathologic Neovascularization,Pathological Angiogenesis,Pathological Neovascularization
D012163	Retinal Detachment	Separation of the inner layers of the retina (neural retina) from the pigment epithelium. Retinal detachment occurs more commonly in men than in women, in eyes with degenerative myopia, in aging and in aphakia. It may occur after an uncomplicated cataract extraction, but it is seen more often if vitreous humor has been lost during surgery. (Dorland, 27th ed; Newell, Ophthalmology: Principles and Concepts, 7th ed, p310-12).	Retinal Pigment Epithelial Detachment,Detachment, Retinal,Detachments, Retinal,Retinal Detachments
D012164	Retinal Diseases	Diseases involving the RETINA.	Disease, Retinal,Diseases, Retinal,Retinal Disease
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D012170	Retinal Vein Occlusion	Blockage of the RETINAL VEIN. Those at high risk for this condition include patients with HYPERTENSION; DIABETES MELLITUS; ATHEROSCLEROSIS; and other CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES.	Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion,Branch Vein Occlusion,Central Retinal Vein Occlusion,Retinal Branch Vein Occlusion,Thrombosis, Retinal Vein,Retinal Vein Thrombosis,Branch Vein Occlusions,Occlusion, Branch Vein,Occlusion, Retinal Vein,Retinal Vein Occlusions,Retinal Vein Thromboses,Vein Occlusion, Branch,Vein Occlusion, Retinal,Vein Thrombosis, Retinal
D012173	Retinitis	Inflammation of the RETINA. It is rarely limited to the retina, but is commonly associated with diseases of the choroid (CHORIORETINITIS) and of the OPTIC DISK (neuroretinitis).	Neuroretinitis
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D014786	Vision Disorders	Visual impairments limiting one or more of the basic functions of the eye: visual acuity, dark adaptation, color vision, or peripheral vision. These may result from EYE DISEASES; OPTIC NERVE DISEASES; VISUAL PATHWAY diseases; OCCIPITAL LOBE diseases; OCULAR MOTILITY DISORDERS; and other conditions (From Newell, Ophthalmology: Principles and Concepts, 7th ed, p132).	Hemeralopia,Macropsia,Micropsia,Day Blindness,Metamorphopsia,Vision Disability,Visual Disorders,Visual Impairment,Blindness, Day,Disabilities, Vision,Disability, Vision,Disorder, Visual,Disorders, Visual,Hemeralopias,Impairment, Visual,Impairments, Visual,Macropsias,Metamorphopsias,Micropsias,Vision Disabilities,Vision Disorder,Visual Disorder,Visual Impairments