creation date: 2026-06-18 03:13
tags: Workups Incomplete
Chronic Vision Loss
Background
Pathophysiology
Vision loss can occur due to disruption in the function of any of the structures along the visual pathway. This pathway is divided into three components–media, retina, and neural visual.
Media
To achieve clear vision, light has to travel from the front of the eye to the back through the cornea, aqueous humour, lens, and vitreous humour to the retina. Anything that may block the light’s path can cause vision loss.
Retina
The retina detects light entering the eye and converts it to neuronal signals. The retina can be torn/detached, become edematous, or become ischemic.
Neural visual pathway
Conditions that affect the pathway from the optic nerve to the visual cortex of the brain can affect vision.
The visual pathway is summarized in this image:
