Vision Problems Could Indicate Brain Disorders, Neurosurgeon Warns

A neurosurgery consultant has stated that vision impairment can be linked to issues within the nervous system or the brain.

Dr Abhijit G Warade, a neurosurgery consultant at P. D. Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre in India, explained that the eyes are essentially an “extension of the brain.”

“Visual signals travel from the eyes through the optic nerve, optic chiasm, and optic tract before reaching the visual cortex in the occipital lobe,” he said, as quoted in a Hindustan Times report on Saturday.

“Disruptions along this neural pathway, whether due to tumours, increased intracranial pressure, or vascular or blood vessel disorders, can first manifest as visual complaints,” he added.

He noted that vision impairment could serve as one of the first signs of a brain tumour.

According to him, a type of tumour known as a pituitary adenoma can cause a gradual loss of vision that may go unnoticed by the sufferer in its early stages.

He further mentioned that another type of tumour that can affect vision is craniopharyngioma.

This type of tumour, which can affect both children and adults, is generally congenital and develops in the same region as the pituitary gland.

Additionally, a type of tumour called an optic pathway glioma, which develops along the optic pathway, also impacts vision.

Because it damages the nerves involved in the visual process, this type of tumour can lead to a decline or total loss of vision.

Dr Warade stated that the types of tumours capable of affecting vision can be treated through surgery.

He emphasised that early diagnosis and treatment can improve the chances of recovering vision lost due to tumours.

“It is important for you to identify these neurological warning signs, such as sudden vision loss, new double vision, or progressive visual field defects,” he said.