Loss of vision due to a physiologic pituitary enlargement during normal pregnancy.
BACKGROUND
Physiologic pituitary enlargement during normal pregnancy is well known, but we are unaware of previous reports on a natural course of visual loss due to this disease.


METHODS
A 30-year-old woman presented blurred vision in the left eye from the 30th week of pregnancy. At 38 weeks visual acuity was 0.9 in the left eye. Automated perimetry revealed a mild central visual defect in the left eye. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan revealed pituitary enlargement with compression of the anterior optic chiasm. We observed the natural course of this case.


RESULTS
At 16 weeks after delivery, visual acuity was 1.5 in both eyes with normal visual field, and an MRI scan revealed a normal-sized pituitary without compression of the optic chiasm.


CONCLUSIONS
Ophthalmologists should be aware of visual loss by physiologic pituitary enlargement to avoid unreasonable neurosurgical procedures.
Inoue
Toshihiro
T
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto, Japan. noel@da2.so-net.ne.jp
Hotta
Akihiro
A
Awai
Maiko
M
Tanihara
Hidenobu
H
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014792:Visual Acuity; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields
D011388:Prolactin