"Phosphene": early sign of vascular compression neuropathy of the optic nerve.
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.
Miyazawa
Takahito
T
Department of Neurosurgery, National Defense Medical College, Namiki 3-2, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-8513, Japan. yosateke@ndmc.ac.jp
Uozumi
Yoichi
Y
Tsuzuki
Nobusuke
N
Shima
Katsuji
K
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