OPHTHALMIC PATHOLOGY OF PREECLAMPSIA

Course overview

PREECLAMPSIA IS A DISORDER THAT AFFECTS PREGNANT WOMEN, MOST COMMONLY IN THEIR THIRD TRIMESTER. CHARACTERIZED BY HYPERTENSION AND PROTEINURIA, IT CAN INVOLVE NEARLY EVERY ORGAN SYSTEM AND OFTEN RESULTS IN SIGNIFICANT END-ORGAN DYSFUNCTION. PREECLAMPSIA IS RELATIVELY COMMON IN PREGNANCY, AFFECTING UP TO 3 TO 8% OF PREGNANCIES WORLDWIDE. VISUAL SYMPTOMS OCCUR IN UP TO 40% OF AFFECTED PATIENTS, AND THE CONDITION CAN AFFECT MULTIPLE PARTS OF THE VISUAL PATHWAY. ALTHOUGH THE NUMEROUS CHANGES THAT OCCUR IN A WOMAN'S BODY DURING PREGNANCY USUALLY REVERT TO THEIR PRE-PREGNANT STATE DURING THE PUERPERIUM, MANY OCULAR AND CORTICAL ALTERATIONS CAUSED BY PREECLAMPSIA CAN PERSIST AFTER PARTURITION. THIS ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS THE SPECIFIC ETIOLOGIES OF VISUAL DYSFUNCTION IN PREECLAMPSIA AND ITS MANAGEMENT BY AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM.