Review How do I manage functional visual loss 2024 Stone et al

Abstract

Functional visual loss is a subtype of functional neurological disorder (FND) and is a common cause of visual impairment seen in both general and neuro-ophthalmological practice. Ophthalmologists can generally diagnose functional visual loss reasonably confidently but often find it harder to know what to say to the patient, how to approach, or even whether to attempt, treatment. There is little evidence-based treatment despite studies showing up to 60% of adults having impactful symptoms on long-term follow-up. The last 20 years has seen large changes in how we understand, approach, and manage FND more widely.

In this article, we set out our practical approach to managing functional visual loss which includes : 1) Make a positive diagnosis based on investigations that demonstrate normal vision in the presence of subjectively impaired vision, not just because tests or ocular exam is normal; 2) Explain and label the condition with an emphasis on these positive diagnostic features, not reassurance; 3) Consider eye or brain comorbidities such as migraine, idiopathic intracranial hypertension or amblyopia; 4) Consider working with an orthoptist using diagnostic tests in a positive way to highlight the possibility of better vision; 5) Develop simple treatment strategies for photophobia; 6) Consider psychological factors and comorbidity as part of assessment and therapy, but keep a broader view of aetiology and don’t use this to make a diagnosis; 7) Other treatment modalities including hypnotherapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation and more advanced forms of visual feedback are promising candidates for functional visual loss treatment in the future.

Open access, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41433-024-03126-w

 

So the FND crowd are claiming that people who can’t see properly in whom they can’t find organic abormalities are malingering/mentally ill? Oh god.

I feel like one day we’ll have functional cancer; “yes this cancer is the result of negative perceptions and poor mental health.”