Bitemporal Hemianopsia Caused by Head Injury

ABSTRACT

Visual field defects being associated with severe closed head injury is well known. The nature and frequency of these association have been reported in a few literatures. Some hypotheses have been advanced to explain the field defects, but no prospective pathological study of the visual pathways in a large number of cases with closed head injury has been made. These hypotheses as to why vision is impaired after head injury have not explained most cases, if not at all. Authors have experienced a case of traumatic, complete bitemporal hemianopsia associated with macular sparing on the right and macular splitting on the left eye in 29 year old man. The patient had a head injury with traffic accident, which caused fractures of the frontal bone and orbital roofs. The various pathogenic possibilities of the chiasmal damage and consequent visual field defects are discussed.