Functional Visual Loss

Abstract

Forty-two patients with diagnosed functional visual loss were reexamined an average of four years after their initial visit. Twenty-three patients continued to have constricted or spiral visual fields at follow-up. Despite persistent evidence of functional visual defects, few patients were either socially or economically impaired by them. Patients who had other types of visual field loss or loss of visual acuity were more likely to have these signs resolve than were patients with constricted or spiral fields. Concurrent unrelated organic ocular disease was present in 11 patients. In 20 patients, it was not possible to identify psychiatric symptoms either related to the onset of functional eye signs or at follow-up. Treatment did not substantially alter the course.