Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a condition that causes pressure inside the skull. It is also called “pseudotumor cerebri.” High pressure around the brain causes headaches and vision loss. Doctors do not know what causes IIH, but it is more common in females and people who have obesity.
The symptoms include:
●Bad headaches – Some people say that the worst pain is right behind their eyes.
●Short periods of vision loss – This can happen in 1 or both eyes. It usually lasts a few seconds, and might happen once in a while or several times a day.
●Dimming of vision
●Trouble seeing things at the edge of your line of sight
●Double vision
●Seeing flashing lights
●Noises inside your head – The noise might sound like rushing water or wind. It often pulses in time with your heartbeat, and can come and go. Doctors call this “tinnitus.”
In rare cases, people with idiopathic intracranial hypertension lose their vision forever.
If you suspect IIH, please make an appointment today with your ophthalmologist, a provider at MCHN/Nervana, or go to the emergency room for sudden/alarming symptoms.
–Alice Wong, NP