Patient Portal

General Information

An Author’s Guide – suggestions for developing patient education materials

CONDITIONS

Condition Description
Anisocoria Anisocoria means that the pupil in the right eye and left eye are not the same size.
Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Most patients with AION notice a sudden disturbance in their vision.
Blepharospasm Blepharospasm is a condition in which uncontrolled blinking, squeezing, and eyelid closure occur in both eyes.
Drusen Drusen are yellow deposits under the retina. Patients usually have no symptoms and do not notice any problem with their vision.
Dry Eye Syndrome Itching, burning, a scratchy sensation, a sensation that there is sand or grit in the eye, or intermittent blurring of the vision can all be symptoms of “dry eyes”
Eyelid Myokymia Eyelid myokymia is a very common condition that many people have experienced at least briefly at one time or another, though the exact prevalence is not known. Myokymia is characterized by involuntary fine contractions or “twitching” of the eyelids.
Giant Cell Arteritis Giant cell arteritis is a condition that can cause vision loss, new persistent headaches, scalp tenderness, and jaw pain with chewing. It is due to inflammation of blood vessels primarily of the head and neck.
Hemifacial Spasm The patient with Hemifacial spasm experiences involuntary contractions, called “spasms,” of the muscles on one side of the face.
Hereditary Optic Neuropathy A hereditary optic neuropathy is caused by a genetic variant (or mutation)that causes dysfunction of the neurons (nerve cells)which form the optic nerve.
Homonymous Hemianopia Homonymous hemianopia refers to a condition in which a person can see only to one side, the left or right.
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) , also called pseudotumor cerebri , is a condition in which there is high pressure in the fluid surrounding your brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves . This can cause headaches and problems with vision.
Menière’s Disease Menière’s Disease is named after Prosper Menière, a French physician who first described the condition in 1861. It is an inner ear disorder that can cause vertigo (false sensation of motion)
Microvascular Cranial Nerve Palsy Microvascular cranial nerve palsy can cause weakness in one or more muscles. If the eyes aren’t moving together the patient will experience blurred or double vision.
Migraine A migraine is a very painful type of headache. During migraines, people may experience nausea and vomiting as well as light and sound sensitivity.
Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a nervous system disease that affects the brain and spinal cord.
Myasthenia Gravis The most common symptoms of Myasthenia gravis relate to weakness of the muscles that lift up the lid (ptosis) or move the eyes (double vision).
Optic Nerve Glioma Optic nerve gliomas are tumors that grow in various parts of the brain. Symptoms may include: eyes may bulge outward; squinting; vision loss in one or both eyes.
Optic Nerve Sheath Meningioma Optic nerve sheath meningioma is a benign (not malignant) tumor which involves the covering of the optic nerve. Meningiomas (along with gliomas and pituitary tumor) are the most common tumors inside the skull.
Optic Neuritis The most common symptom of optic neuritis is sudden decrease in vision (blurred vision, dark vision, dim vision or simply loss of vision in the center or part or all of the visual field.)
Photophobia Photophobia is eye discomfort in bright light.
Pituitary Tumors Patients with pituitary tumors often have no symptoms at all. Pituitary tumors may cause dim, dark, or blurred vision.
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is a rare progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects certain parts of the brain, resulting in difficulty with balance, walking, swallowing, and vision.
Thyroid Eye Disease (Dysthyroid Orbitopathy) Thyroid eye disease, also called dysthyroid orbitopathy, is an autoimmune condition in which your body’s immune system triggers inflammation in the eye socket (also called the orbit), affecting the muscles that move the eye and the fatty tissue behind the eye.
Transient Vision Loss Vision loss that is temporary (transient) is a common problem and has many potential causes. Patients with temporary vision loss often do not have any abnormalities on their eye examination, especially once the vision has returned to normal.