Cortical Blindness As a Complication of Eclampsia

Presented is a case of an eclamptic patient whose primary clinical presentation was cortical blindness. The patient was not known to be preeclamptic during her prenatal course, but she was lost to follow up one month prior to her presentation. Computed tomographic scan of the head was consistent with hypertensive encephalopathy. She was treated as an eclamptic patient. Her blood pressure was controlled with hydralazine, and she was given magnesium sulfate intravenously and intramuscularly. Labor was induced with a pitocin infusion. After delivery of a term infant, her vision returned and all other symptoms resolved without sequelae. The etiology and pathophysiology of cortical blindness as a symptom of eclampsia are discussed.