West Indian amblyopia

The visual fields of ten patients with West Indian amblyopia, but with no other sign of neurological disease, have been carefully charted. The scotomata found varied considerably in size, shape and density between the individuals in the group. They were scattered, and quite large with irregular margins, sometimes with small dense defects in their central areas and usually with very shelving edges; a connexion with the blind spot was often present and/or break-through to the periphery. The causative lesions are likely to be subchiasmal. There is a slight resemblance to the field defects in tobacco amblyopia, but as tobbaco does not seem to be a factor in our cases, cyanide poisoning may be the common factor.(Summary)