Non-Organic Vision Loss

Nonorganic vision loss is common but can be challenging to diagnose and treat. In this chapter, we begin by reviewing the clinical features that suggest nonorganic vision loss. We next describe the maneuvers that can be used to demonstrate intact visual function in the patient who reports decreased visual acuity in one or both eyes. We then describe strategies to evaluate the patient who has visual field constriction. We describe the features that help to distinguish organic visual field constriction from nonorganic visual field constriction. Lastly, we discuss the management approach, which includes reassuring the patient that there is no evidence of permanent damage to the visual system and a good prognosis for spontaneous recovery.