New dimension of epilepsy complications: A literature systematic review of visual and retinal disorders

Abstract

Abstract Background: Epilepsy usually causes irreparable brain damage with its convulsive attacks, depending on whether it is localized or general, damage to the brain nerves is not far away. Aim: This systematic review, we examined the effect of epilepsy on vision complications. Method: This article was written according to PRISMA criteria from January 2018 to January 2022. These articles were selected from PubMed, Scopus and Google scholar (for results follow-up) databases and 98 articles were studied and 11 of them were used in this article. The principle of non-bias was respected and the results were reviewed at the Cochrane Center. Mesh base Keywords: Epilepsy/seizure, optic nerves, oculomotor nerves,Trochlear nerves, Vision disorders, retinal disorders. Results: Epilepsy attacks reduce the thickness of optic nerve ganglions and retinal nerve fibers. Epileptic seizures with damage to retinal nerves and more precisely optic nerve ganglia reduce Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer (RNFL), Ganglion Cell Layer (GCL). Some studies have stated that hypoplasia of the optic nerve, which is a symptom of focal non-convulsive status epilepticus, has been associated with any kinds of epilepsy. Finally, these propositions ended with the reduction of sensitivity to light in several articles, vision response is reduced in patients with persistent epilepsy. Conclusion: visual power decrease and serious retinal nerve damage can be expected from epileptic seizures, that change indicators same as nerve thickness and sensitivity to light.