Hydrocephalus and the eyes: a teaching hospital experience.

BACKGROUND: The eye developes from prosencephalon, the primitive forebrain and hence share similar embryonic origin with brain. This gives insight into primary or secondary involvement of eyes in intra-cranial pathology. OBJECTIVE: The study was done to describe ocular findings in hydrocephalus patients and effect of intervention on the complications. METHODS: Forty one consecutive hydrocephalus patients were examined pre and post ventriculo-peritoneal shunts. Comprehensive ocular examinations included dilated fundoscopy in all cases. RESULTS: A total of 41 patients were examined with the age range of between 4 hours to 108 months and a mean age of 21 months. Onset of the hydrocephalus varies from 4hours to 108 months, with a mean of 4.1 weeks. Twenty two patients (51.2%) presented after 2 months of onset of hydrocephalus. Most common presenting complaint was enlarged head seeing in 29 patients (70.7%). CONCLUSION: A total of 12 (30%) out of 41 patients with hydrocephalus had optic atrophy. Another 10 patients had sun-setting phenomenon, 3 of these sun-setting phenomena resolved a week after ventriculo-peritoneal shunts. The ocular morbidity is high among hydrocephalus patients.