Sudden Loss of Vision: Examination

A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:

• General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; further:
  • Inspection (viewing).
    • Skin and mucous membranes
    • Eyes
  • Auscultation (listening) of the heart and carotids / carotid arteries [if apoplexy (stroke) or retinal artery occlusion is suspected].
• Ophthalmic examination – examination of the eye with a slit lamp, determination of visual acuity, determination of refraction (refractive properties of the eye); stereoscopic findings of the optic disc and peripapillary nerve fiber layer [retinal detachments?, retinal ischemia (deficiency of blood supply to the retina)?, papilledema (swelling (edema) at the junction of the optic nerve with the retina, which is noticeable as a protrusion of the optic disc; congestive papilledema usually bilateral)?, optic atrophy (death of optic nerve fibers)?]
• Neurological examination – if a neurological cause is suspected.

Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.