Causes of acute persistent visual loss by presentation

Presentation	Differential diagnosis
Unilateral painless	Lens dislocation
	Vitreous hemorrhage
	Acute maculopathy
	Retinal detachment
	Retinal artery occlusion
	Retinal vein occlusion
	Ischemic optic neuropathy
Unilateral painful	Corneal abrasion
	Keratitis
	Acute glaucoma
	Hyphema
	Endophthalmitis
	Anterior uveitis
	Optic neuritis
Bilateral painless	Pseudotumor cerebri (variable symptoms)
	Metabolic or toxic (hyperglycemia, methanol toxicity)
	Homonymous field loss (chiasmal or retrochiasmal etiology)
Bilateral painful	Keratitis from bilateral exposure (eg, contact lens, UV light, chemical, etc)

UV: ultraviolet.

Adapted from Guluma, K. An Evidence-Based Approach to Abnormal Vision. Emergency Medicine Practice 2007; 9:1.

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