title: "Phosphene": early sign of vascular compression neuropathy of the optic nerve.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Phosphenes, flashes of light, are a visual phenomenon experienced by patients with ophthalmological disease and normal individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report here a 68-year-old woman in whom phosphenes appeared in the left visual field due to compression of the right optic nerve by an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The symptom decreased dramatically after clipping of the aneurysm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Phosphenes may be an important early sign of vascular compression neuropathy of the optic nerve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Namiki 3-2, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-8513, Japan. yosateke@ndmc.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takahito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazawa
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uozumi
authors.forename: Nobusuke
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsuzuki
authors.forename: Katsuji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shima
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020771:Anterior Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D003399:Craniotomy; D018450:Disease Progression; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D050815:Fractures, Compression / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D019586:Intracranial Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008866:Microsurgery; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010719:Phosphenes / Q000502:physiology*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D016896:Treatment Outcome