Cortical blindness

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Cortical blindness Classification and external resources
ICD-9	377.75
MeSH	D019575

Cortical blindness is the total or partial loss of vision in a normal-appearing eye caused by damage to the visual area in the brain's occipital cortex.^[1]

[edit] Causes

Bilateral lesions of the primary visual cortex may cause cortical blindness.

Side effect of anti-epilepsy drugs (AEDs) over time.

The posterior cerebral artery supplies the occipital lobe, and can be associated with cortical blindness.

[edit] Presentation

Patients have no vision but the response of the pupil to light is intact (as the reflex does not involve the cortex).

Fundoscopy is normal. Cortical blindness can be associated with visual hallucinations, denial of visual loss (Anton syndrome), and the ability to perceive moving but not static objects. (Riddoch phenomenon).