Visual Pathway: Lesions

VISUAL PATHWAY ANATOMY

COMPONENTS OF VISUAL PATHWAY
VISUAL
PATHWAY
Anopia
Quadrantanopia
Loss of vision in a quadrant of visual field

Homonymous type
Defects are
identical in Defects are
size,shape, dissimilar
location, slope eg-Optic tract &
of margins LGB lesions
eg-Post optic
radiation lesions
LESIONS
OF VISUAL
PATHWAY
Field Defects in Lesions of Optic Nerve
Field Defects in Lesions of Optic Chiasma

(Less common)  Pituitary adenoma

IIIrd ventricle or malignancy
enlargement / dilatation  Craniopharyngioma
Atheroma of carotids or  Chronic chiasmal
posterior communicating arachnoiditis
arteries  Fracture of the base
of skull
Pituitary Adenoma
Craniopharyngioma
Field Defects in Lesions of Optic Tract
Causes of optic tract lesion
Field Defects in Lesions of
Lateral geniculate Body (LGB)
 Lesion of optic radiations

Anterior temporal lobe Parietal lobe Posterior part of

Internal capsule (Ant
occipital cortex)

Pie in the sky

Pie on the floor

Common causes of lesions of optic
radiations
Field Defects in Lesions of Visual Cortex
Common causes of lesions of Visual
Cortex
Clinical presentation in Visual Cortex
Lesions (Cortical blindness)
Differences between occipital lobe and
optic tract lesions
Clinical Features Occipital lobe Optic tract lesion
lesion

Pupillary reaction Normal Abnormal

Field defect Congruous Incongruous

Macular involvement Sparing Involved

Optic atrophy
- +