Optic disc pallor: a false localizing sign

Surv Ophthalmol. 1993 Jan-Feb;37(4):273-82. doi: 10.1016/0039-6257(93)90010-5.

Abstract

A 20-year-old pregnant woman was referred with bilateral mild visual acuity loss and optic disc pallor. Because of profound color vision deficits out of proportion to her acuity loss, an abnormality of the cone photoreceptors was suspected. An electroretinogram confirmed the diagnosis of a cone dystrophy and precluded further costly and invasive testing. Cone dystrophy should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any patient with bilateral, nonrefractive visual loss, especially if color vision is disproportionately affected, even with a normal retinal appearance and no significant family history.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Clinical Conference
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Atrophy
  • Color Vision Defects / diagnosis
  • Electroretinography
  • Female
  • Fundus Oculi
  • Humans
  • Optic Disk / pathology*
  • Optic Nerve Diseases / diagnosis
  • Photoreceptor Cells / pathology*
  • Retinal Degeneration / diagnosis*
  • Visual Field Tests
  • Visual Fields