Vision loss after surgery can be devastating, especially when the procedure did not involve the eyes. But in rare cases, patients can experience optic nerve damage from non-ocular surgery. This complication can leave lasting impairment and raise serious questions about whether the surgeon or their team exposed a patient to unnecessary and avoidable risk.
High-Risk Procedures and Surgical Factors
Certain non-ocular surgeries pose a heightened risk of optic nerve injury. Conditions that reduce oxygen delivery to the optic nerve during surgery can cause permanent damage. Some of the procedures and factors linked to an increased risk of vision loss after non-ophthalmic surgery include:
- Spine surgeries performed in the prone position for extended periods
- Cardiac bypass or other major heart surgeries
- Lengthy operations involving substantial blood loss
- Episodes of low blood pressure during or after surgery
- Large-volume fluid replacement that may affect optic nerve perfusion
While careful intraoperative monitoring and patient selection may reduce these risks, they cannot eliminate them entirely.
Perioperative Visual Loss (POVL) and Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
Perioperative visual loss (POVL) refers to vision impairment that occurs during or shortly after surgery. One of the most reported causes of POVL is ischemic optic neuropathy (ION), which develops when blood flow to the optic nerve decreases. Without adequate oxygen, nerve fibers can suffer irreversible injury.
Ischemic optic neuropathy may affect one or both eyes. In many cases, patients wake from anesthesia with partial or complete vision loss that does not improve over time.
Signs of Post-Surgical Optic Nerve Damage
While patients may not immediately recognize that they’ve suffered optic nerve damage, symptoms often become apparent upon waking from anesthesia or within the first few days after surgery. The following symptoms require prompt evaluation to determine a course of treatment and preserve any potential legal claims against a careless provider:
- Sudden partial or complete vision loss
- Blurred or dim vision
- Loss of peripheral vision
- Changes in color perception
- A relative afferent pupillary defect identified on exam
When Does Vision Loss Qualify as Medical Malpractice?
Not every instance of post-surgical vision loss results from a provider’s negligence, and some complications can occur even when a surgical team follows accepted standards of care. A malpractice claim may arise when a provider fails to monitor blood pressure properly, disregards significant blood loss, or neglects known risk factors.
A successful malpractice claim requires a patient to show that a provider’s breach of the appropriate standard of care caused their optic nerve injury and resulting vision loss.
Obtain Legal Counsel from a Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyer
Have you been experiencing signs of post-surgical optic nerve damage? You may have a valid claim against your surgeon or another member of your medical team. The team at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. can help you understand your legal rights and options. We’ve obtained over $3.5 billion for our injured clients and are prepared to put our significant resources to work for you. Contact our office to speak with a Chicago medical malpractice attorney.
