n. partial or complete blindness. For example, amaurosis fugax is a condition in which loss of vision is transient. See also Leber’s congenital amaurosis. —amaurotic adj.
Sudden transitory impairment, or loss, of vision. It usually affects only one eye, and is commonly due to circulatory failure. In its simplest form it occurs in normal people on rising suddenly from the sitting or recumbent position, when it is due to the effects of gravity. It also occurs in migraine. A not uncommon cause, particularly in elderly people, is transient ocular ISCHAEMIA, resulting from blockage of the circulation to the retina (see EYE) by emboli (see EMBOLISM) from the common carotid artery or the heart. Treatment in this last group of cases consists of control of the blood pressure if this is raised, as it often is in such cases; and the administration of drugs that reduce the stickiness of blood platelets, such as aspirin. In some instances, removal of the part of the carotid artery from which the emboli are coming may be indicated.... amaurosis fugax
a hereditary condition (inherited as an autosomal *recessive) causing severe visual loss in infants. The *fundus usually appears to be normal when examined with an *ophthalmoscope, but marked abnormalities are found on the ERG (see electroretinography), usually with extinguished wave pattern. [T. Leber (1840–1917), German ophthalmologist]... leber’s congenital amaurosis
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