Evaluation of vision loss

Last reviewed: 1 Apr 2025
Last updated: 10 Nov 2023

Summary

Differentials

Common

  • Corneal ulcer
  • Dry eye syndrome (tear dysfunction syndrome)
  • Dry age-related macular degeneration
  • Posterior uveitis
  • Cataract
  • Nondiabetic myopic lens shift
  • Wet age-related macular degeneration
  • Vitreous hemorrhage
  • Retinal venous occlusion
  • Retinal arterial occlusion
  • Stroke
  • Migraine headache or migraine aura without headache (acephalgic migraine)
  • Pituitary tumor
  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Diabetic myopic lens shift
Full details

Uncommon

  • Corneal hydrops
  • Traumatic vision loss
  • Optic neuritis
  • Papilledema
  • Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON)
  • Acute angle-closure glaucoma
  • Retinal detachment
  • Postoperative endophthalmitis
  • Central retinal artery occlusion
  • Pituitary apoplexy
  • Arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy/giant cell arteritis
  • Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy
  • Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
  • Cancer-associated retinopathy
Full details

Contributors

Authors

Jeffrey R. SooHoo, MD, MBA

Associate Professor

Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center

Department of Ophthalmology

University of Colorado School of Medicine

Aurora

CO

Disclosures

JRS declares that he has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

Dr Jeffrey R. SooHoo would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Prem S. Subramanian, the previous contributor to this topic.

Disclosures

PSS declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Andrew G. Lee, MD

The H. Stanley Neuro-ophthalmology Professor of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery

The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

Iowa City

IA

Disclosures

AGL declares that he has no competing interests.

Robert Avery, MD, PhD

Professor of Ophthalmology

University of New Mexico Medical School

Albuquerque

NM

Disclosures

RA declares that he has no competing interests.

Augusto Azuara-Blanco, PhD, FRCS(Ed), FRCOphth

Clinical Senior Lecturer

Health Services Research Unit

University of Aberdeen

Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist

NHS Grampian

Aberdeen

UK

Disclosures

AA-B declares that he has no competing interests.

Stephen Vernon, DM, FRCS, FRCOphth, FCOptom (Hon), DO

Special Professor of Ophthalmology

University of Nottingham

Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon

Nottingham University Hospitals

Nottingham

UK

Disclosures

None declared.

References

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Key articles

Rossi T, Boccassini B, Iossa M, et al. Triaging and coding ophthalmic emergency: the Rome Eye Scoring System for Urgency and Emergency (RESCUE): a pilot study of 1,000 eye-dedicated emergency room patients. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2007 May-Jun;17(3):413-7. Abstract

Bird AC, Bressler NM, Bressler SB, et al. An international classification and grading system for age-related maculopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Surv Ophthalmol. 1995 Mar-Apr;39(5):367-74. Abstract

Donahue SP, Baker CN; American Academy of Pediatrics; American Association of Certified Orthoptists; American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus; American Academy of Ophthalmology. Procedures for the evaluation of the visual system by pediatricians. Pediatrics. 2016 Jan;137(1). (Reaffirmed Feb 2022).Full text  Abstract

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.

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