Common Causes of Whiteouts
If the whiteout recurs, its duration can be counted in real time to get the correct diagnosis. Note certain details that appear to be common to whiteouts. For example, does it happen right after you get up from your chair? Most of the time, whiteouts happen when a person is ready. faint Because my blood pressure dropped sharply. About 1 in 3 people faint at some point in their life.
Says “fainting can be benign if sudden stress is involved” Sarah Thornton Neuro-ophthalmologist at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia. “Waking up early, exercising too much, being dehydrated, and taking certain medications can also lead to low blood pressure, or low blood pressure, and in some cases, whiteout.”
A less common risk: “Changes in G-forces can cause whiteouts,” says Geist. In a traffic accident or roller coaster. a Whiteouts caused by physical stress or exercise disappear in just minutes.
A link to a more serious condition?
Fainting is usually benign, but if you do, be sure to see your doctor. Sometimes whiteouts and fainting are associated with serious problems.
“Potential heart disease such as aortic stenosiscan cause symptoms of fainting, including whiteout.” Dean M. Chestari He is a neuro-ophthalmologist at Mass General Brigham Mass Eye and Ear in Boston and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. Other such conditions are: arrhythmia, heart failure, atrial fibrillation.
A whiteout can also have neurological consequences. “temporary visual impairment, also known as TVO, is the last few seconds,” says Cestari. “They appear as flashes of white light and can cause blindness. TVO is caused by swelling of the optic nerve and can occur when you change posture, for example, when you suddenly stand up.”
TVO is papilledema, a rare swelling of the optic disc caused by elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). ICP can be caused by a brain tumor or bleeding.
a retinal detachment Another possibility. “If you have new-onset vision problems with whiteout plus flashes that you might consider floaters, go to an ophthalmologist to rule out the condition,” he says. “Or, if it happened suddenly, go to the ER.”
But whiteouts aren’t usually associated with stroke or transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), says Eric R. Eggenberger, an ophthalmologist and neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. says.
“Generally, stroke-type events cause a sudden painless onset, pure blindness or blindness, often involving the upper or lower half of the visual field in just one eye,” says Eggenberger. . “By contrast, whiteout typically involves both eyes and begins with a 360-degree peripheral pattern that gradually contracts toward the center of the visual field.”
Take notes on the timing and duration of the whiteout
To help your doctor identify the exact cause of the whiteout, try to determine if only one eye is affected.
“Closing one eye is what you should do if you actually suddenly lose your vision. Close the eye that you think is affected. It’s best to close your eyes so you don’t go blind,” says Cestari. “Then look at what you see through the other eye. If everything looks normal, you can tell your doctor that you have lost sight in your closed eye and you have lost sight in that one eye.” If everything looks weird, you’ve also lost the sight in your right eye, and knowing this information will help your doctor determine the cause.”
Again, record as accurately as possible how long the whiteout lasted.
It’s always worth seeing an optometrist, ophthalmologist, or family doctor after experiencing a whiteout. So, discuss the episode along with any other symptoms you may have experienced,” Geist adds.
