TRANSIENT ICTAL CORTICAL BLINDNESS DURING MIDDLE-AGE - A CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

We report a case of transient ictal cortical blindness in a 63-year-ol d woman. We reviewed the literature of all seizure-induced bilateral b lindness. After careful evaluation of 44 cases, it was evident that th e cases could be categorized into three groups with different etiologi es, duration of blindness, and probable visual prognosis. Transient co rtical blindness may occur with unilateral focal seizure or with bilat eral seizure activity of the primary generalized type. Seizure-induced blindness may be ictal or postictal (Todd's) phenomenon or a permanen t consequence following status epilepticus. Its duration varies betwee n less than 1 minute to 4 months, or can be permanent. Our case of cor tical blindness is related to new onset occipital epilepsy from a left occipital focus, and adds to the evidence that cortical blindness occ asionally occurs as an uncommon manifestation of seizure.