Work up of neuro-ophthalmological cases - Examination – Investigations

Abstract

Importance of thorough history-taking, meticulous examination and tailored investigations cannot be underestimated in any branch in medicine, and the same goes for neuro-ophthalmology too. In patients presenting with visual loss, ocular motility disturbances, or simply headache, the ophthalmologist may be the first one to diagnose life-threatening conditions. Thus, before referring the patient to other services, it is essential to arrive systematically and rationally at a conclusive, problem-oriented diagnosis. This article gives a stepwise approach to work up patients with a potential neuro-ophthalmic condition. It gives a brief and helpful overview about history-taking in these patients and clears most ambiguities regarding examination techniques and the choice and timing of investigations. It may especially prove to be very useful and of special interest for training ophthalmologists.