A Case of Transient Loss of Vision Following Coronary Angiography: Etiology, Investigation and Management

Abstract

Cortical blindness is, thankfully, a rarely encountered complication of coronary angiography. We present the case of a 72-year-old Caucasian gentleman in whom bilateral visual loss occurred abruptly after exposure to contrast during diagnostic coronary angiography. Areas of acute cerebral infarction were not appreciated at initial cranial computed tomography. Leakage of contrast medium into the occipital cortices was similarly absent. The patient recovered vision within 24 hours. Given the frequency with which coronary angiography is performed worldwide, an awareness of the causes of cortical blindness following the same is important. Although already well elaborated in the literature related to both cardiology and radiology, there are few reports in the general medical or ophthalmology literature that describe transient cortical blindness after coronary angiography and detail contrast-associated visual loss.




J Med Cases. 2016;7(9):379-383
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc2591w