Acute Loss of Vision in a Young Woman Mulugeta S et al 99

CASE REPORT

ACUTE LOSS OF VISION IN A YOUNG WOMAN: A CASE

REPORT ON PSYCHOGENIC BLINDNESS
Mulugeta S1, Tesfay K1, Frank R2, Gruber-Frank C2
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Acute loss of vision needs urgent attention and treatment. We report on a young
Ethiopian woman who experienced acute bilateral blindness. In the presence of normal
ophthalmological findings psychogenic blindness has to be considered.
CASE DETAILS: A 21 years old woman was admitted to the psychiatry clinic at Jimma University
specialized Hospital, Jimma, South West Ethiopia. She had not been able to see for a few days.
Ophthalmological and neurological examinations showed normal findings. No severe psychopathology
was found. Stressful life events had preceded the appearance of the symptoms. An attitude of accepting
the perspective of the patient of a seemingly organic disease is a precondition for a successful
intervention. Treatment aimed at a gradual return to normal functioning. The patient regained her sight
and fully recovered. The final psychiatric diagnosis was psychogenic blindness.
CONCLUSION: The psychosocial intervention was successful and encouraging for the patient and
clinicians.
KEYWORDS: acute loss of vision, psychosocial intervention, conversion disorder, low-income country,
international cooperation.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ejhs.v25i1.13

INTRODUCTION Acute loss of vision needs urgent attention and

treatment. Acute visual loss may be due to trauma
The most frequent cause of visual impairment in or infection. Transitory impairment of vision can
about 50% of all forms of blindness in all areas of be due to epilepsy or migraine (3). Loss of vision
the world, except for developed countries is despite normal ophthalmological findings,
cataract. In the least-developed countries, accompanied by neurological abnormalities,
particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, the causes of indicates that the visual cortex of the brain is
avoidable blindness are primarily cataract (50%), affected.
glaucoma (15%), corneal opacities (10%), Acute loss of vision as well as loss of voice
trachoma (6.8%), childhood blindness (5.3%) and may have an organic and a psychogenic etiology.
onchocerciasis (4%) (1). Visual function is The majority of people affected by the conditions
defined in four levels: normal, moderate visual seek help in health care facilities with an organic
impairment, severe visual impairment and orientation. When examinations result in normal
blindness. The most frequent causes of visual findings, patients are sent towards a mental health
impairment are uncorrected refractive disorders, care facility. The symptoms are summarized under
unoperated cataract and glaucoma (2). Persons the heading of emotional and medically
with visual impairment as well as persons with unexplained medical complaints and are a
blindness need to adapt to everyday demands. priority condition in mental health (4). The national
1
Department of Psychiatry, Jimma University, Ethiopia
2
Global Mental Health Group, Center International Health, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munch Germany
Corresponding Author: Mulugeta S, sisaym8@gmail.com
100 Ethiop J Health Sci. Vol. 25, No. 1 January 2015

mental health strategy of Ethiopia identified

limited resources for non-medication alternatives
for rehabilitation, for psychological treatments and
for children as weaknesses of the mental health
system (5).
We report on a young woman who
experienced acute bilateral blindness preceded by
an episode of loss of voice (aphonia). The purpose
of this case report is to describe the
implementation of a psychosocial intervention in a
health system with limited resources for mental
health care (6). Informed consent for the
publication was obtained from the patient.

CASE DETAILS

The 21 years old female patient came to Jimma Figure 1: Reproducing shape of blocks
University Specialized Hospital accompanied by
her mother. The chief complaint of the patient The patient was able to reproduce the set-up of
was: I havent been able to see for seven days. blocks of wood. The series of patterns presented
She was a 3rd year university student at another with an increasing difficulty. She indicated a
Ethiopian university. She was single and never narrow concentric visual field. She was slow and
married, protestant by religion and Amhara by very careful when performing tasks. The
ethnicity, and she was living in Jimma. examiner's feedback to the patient was that she
At the ophthalmic clinic, an ophthalmologic had good abilities. However, she remained very
evaluation was done. Visual acuity was cautious and was performing slowly. When
diminished to +3 dioptres on both eyes, and had encouraged after some exercises, she performed
already been corrected by glasses. All other visual faster. Overall, the neurological examination was
functions were normal. Malingering was suspected normal.
and, a psychiatric consultation was made. At the This was her second visit to the psychiatric
initial contact at the Department of Psychiatry, the clinic. A month before her visit to the clinic, she
patient was alert and conscious. She was also fully had had difficulties in studying for her BSc
oriented to time, place and person. She had good degree. At the same time, her mother informed her
immediate, recent and remote memory. about a life threatening illness of her father. A few
Concentration and attention were normal. The hours later, she became unable to speak. This
patient had good social and test judgment. She inability to speak lasted for two weeks. One of her
was smiling and reported to feel nothing despite friends helped her to train to speak and she
acute severe visual impairment. No severe recovered. No treatment in any health care facility
psychopathological abnormalities could be was necessary. One week later, the patient was
elicited. Vital signs were within normal range. preparing for an exam to be held the next day. In
An approach to the patient was developed the early evening, she became completely unable
through cooperation among the local Ethiopian to see. Due to the impairment of her vision, the
clinicians and guest lecturers, a child psychiatrist patient was not able to sit for her exam. She
and a children's nurse, who took part in an reported feeling of occasional sadness, crying,
international exchange program (7). hopelessness and suicidal idea but without plan or
A neurological examination was performed. attempt.
The patient was cooperative. She could perfectly Eight months prior to her presentation, she
understand all tasks necessary to do a full became voiceless for about one and half months,
neurological examination. and was admitted to the psychiatric clinic. She
was examined then by laryngoscopy and found to
be normal. She was treated with 5 mg diazepam at
bed time, and some psychotherapy made her free
 Acute Loss of Vision in a Young Woman Mulugeta S et al 101

of stress and anxiety like imaginary relaxation

technique, slow breathing and progressive muscle
relaxation therapy. After 3 days of therapy, she
was able to produce sounds like coughing. On the
fourth day, she was able to say a few words and
the next day she became fully communicative.
Her development was normal. At the age of
10, about 10 years ago, she had suffered a car
accident-she had been unconscious for 10 days.
After awakening from unconsciousness, her left
side was paralyzed and she was not able to hear
with her left ear. Later, she regained her muscle
tone. Actually, her left side was still slightly
weaker when compared to her right side. She had
discontinued school for 1 year because of the head
trauma. She was a middle ranking student at
school. Figure 2: Reproducing shape of knobs
She complained of almost daily headache.
She had occasional falling attacks characterized by An attempt was made to offer painting material to
loss of consciousness but no jerky movements and her as to other patients. She was able to draw nice
no muscle rigidity. They started few years after scenery using different colors and to paint
the trauma and are still persisting occasionally. precisely a face (Figure 3). Later on, she was able
The patient did not get any anti-epileptic to make pearls from paper by wrapping colored
medication. There were no psychiatric problems in paper around a stick of wood. It was proved that
the family. she was faster than all other patients. She could
The diagnostic formulation according to the make a necklace for herself and she provided a lot
psychiatric classification system DSM IV-TR of paper pearls to other patients.
relies on the history and the clinical findings:
Conversion disorder with mixed presentation
(sensory =vision and motor = voice). Other
health problems were migraine headache, and
worries about seizures (8).
Most important for the management, seems
having knowledge of this condition. The basic
element is an attitude to accept the patient's views
and to build bridges. There is no standardized
treatment approach to psychogenic blindness. A
treatment program was tailored to the situation of
the clinic and to the needs of the patients mainly
relying on the WHO mental health GAP
intervention guide, section significant emotional
or medically unexplained complaints (4). The
approach was symptom oriented on how to give
orientation to a blind person irrespective of
etiology.
The childrens nurse offered material suitable Figure 3: Painting skills
for a blind person to the patient. The patient was
asked to reproduce the pattern of different shapes
by means of little knobs which had to be placed
into a plate with holes.
102 Ethiop J Health Sci. Vol. 25, No. 1 January 2015

drawing she was able to do. Her performance

corresponded to a narrow visual field seen during
the neurological examination. Nurses and
clinicians encouraged the patient and praised her
for her skills and abilities. She seemed unable to
believe the compliments given to her.
In addition, she received imaginary relaxation
technique, slow breathing and progressive muscle
relaxation therapy by SM. Diazepam 10 mg orally
was given daily for 1 week and 5 mg for another1
week, then stopped. Amitriptyline 25 mg daily for
her migraine and occasional depressive symptoms.
The patient started to improve after 1 week.
Initially, she started to see slight flash light. She
became opener in contact, and she began to
recognize some people, beginning with her
Figure 4: Making paper pearls mother, who accompanied her. She participated in
group work: put leaves on a paper to form a tree.
The patient presented herself as an insecure She was discharged from the hospital after 3
person. She said that she could not see what she weeks, when she was able to see normally. At first
was doing. She frequently controlled her follow up as an outpatient after two days, she
performance and was finally successful. There showed good and adequately modulated mood,
was a discrepancy between her attitude of an bright and could see normally. She is on further
insecure, dependent blind person while follow up. Table 1 summarizes key elements of
reproducing shapes of blocks and the elaborate the intervention.

Table 1: Key elements of the intervention (Adapted from reference 4)

Basic interventions -General principles of care
Build up a supportive relationship. Accept the patients view. Build bridges.
Provide information on the health status in terms the patient can understand.
Communicate realistic hope for better functioning and recovery.
Continually monitor for treatment effects and outcome.
Offer occupation for a person with vision problems:
Touch and feel blocks, knobs, paper pearls
Give constructive feedback
At follow up reassess the persons understanding of treatment.
Make efforts to link the person to community support.
Advanced interventions
Behavioral activation
Social skill therapy

DISCUSSION associated with significant distress and

Psychogenic blindness may be suspected when impairment (8).
patients complain of recent onset of blindness Due to the many different languages spoken
without injury. At a closer look, frequently, there in Ethiopia a lot of descriptions and expressions
may be a diminution of vision, blurred vision or a indicating somatic symptoms resulting from
tunnel vision (9). In psychiatric terms, this distress appear difficult to translate into English.
condition is a type of conversion disorder. The Only some terms can be translated into
common feature of the whole group of disorders psychiatric terminology. Students before or
is the prominence of somatic symptoms during examinations complained of heat in the
 Acute Loss of Vision in a Young Woman Mulugeta S et al 103

head (10). Ethiopians may use the word of illness arise when patients restrict their
makatel "burning or complain of activities such as staying in bed. Jobs may be lost
yazorehnyal, "spinning,". In medical terms, it and relationships strained. Physician-initiated
means vertigo, but it seems to have a broader perpetuating factors are potentially dangerous or
meaning. From the view of clinicians, the costly diagnostic procedures and interventions
symptoms may seem diffuse, exaggerated and (8).
difficult to pinpoint (11). Looking at the history of our patient and
Conversion disorders are characterized by reflecting on precipitating and perpetuating
signs and symptoms clearly inconsistent with factors in previous experiences helps to predict
what is known about anatomy and possible relapses when emotionally difficult
pathophysiology (8, 9). Symptoms are situations reoccur (13). A major predisposing
exacerbating after stressful events (8). Patients factor is the severe head trauma at age 10. Being
who suffer from conversion symptoms do not unconscious for ten days and having motor
intentionally fabricate such symptoms, as problems and hearing problems for a long time
malingerers do. The diagnosis of conversion indicates a severe affection of the brain with slow
disorder should be made after appropriate recovery. Normal functioning at school was
investigations that can exclude neurologic possible only one year after the accident.
conditions, medical conditions, and other Headaches were frequent afterwards. During the
psychological disorders. However, organic and actual hospitalization, the neurological
psychogenic conditions such as epileptic seizures examination was normal as well as the
and psychogenic seizures can co-occur in one performance of some tasks testing cognitive
person. functioning. However, it was not possible to do
Individuals with prominent somatic an in depth examination of cognitive abilities.
symptoms are commonly encountered in primary Functioning in everyday situations can be normal.
care and other medical settings, but are less Problems may arise due to minor cognitive
commonly encountered in psychiatric and other impairment in situations with high demands-
mental health settings (8). Conversion disorders either emotional or cognitive -and result in a
are two to three times more common in females. breakdown of abilities. The patient had
There are little data on the prevalence of experienced emotionally stressful situations: A
conversion disorder. Estimates have to rely on the life threatening illness of a close family member
results of clinical investigations. accompanying the demands of a final
In Gonder, North West Ethiopia, 1240 examination can be interpreted as precipitating
patients were seen as first attendees in the event. No perpetuating factors were found.
outpatient department within half a year in 1986. There are several protective factors. For both
One hundred and fifty-five or 12.5% were hospitalizations, the access to the clinic was short
classified as disorders from hysteric type or and direct. No unnecessary diagnostic or
conversion disorders in the actual classification. therapeutic measures had been undertaken. The
Motor disturbances and seizures were the family and friends were very supportive.
symptoms most frequently seen. Sixteen patients Previously, the patient had experienced training
(1%) had sensory symptoms and another 16 had as helpful. The intention of the training was to
multiple symptoms. These behavior patterns were build a bridge for the patient by accepting her
interpreted as mechanisms of problem-solutions inability to see. From detailed observation of the
with secondary gain of illness under rapidly patient in different situations, a plan of
changing social conditions (12). There was a management could be developed. Training of
large group of military men with motor visual functions was accompanied by behavior
disturbances unable to continue the service and a activation and social skills therapy.
small group of students who needed permission The WHO mhGAP intervention guide (4)
to repeat a year of study or to change fieldof excludes psychotropic medications for the
study. Initial episodes of conversion symptoms management of medically unexplained and
remit spontaneously, often within weeks or emotional symptoms. A meta-analysis done on
months. Complications perpetuating the duration the evidence drug effectiveness showed that
104 Ethiop J Health Sci. Vol. 25, No. 1 January 2015

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