STUDY - Technical - New Dacian's Medicine
Halo
vision (Classical / Allopathic Medicine)
Halo vision refers
to seeing rainbowlike, colored rings around lights or bright
objects. The rainbowlike effect can be explained by this
physical principle: As light passes through water (in the eye,
through tears or the cells of various ante retinal media), it
breaks up into spectral colors.
Halo vision
usually develops suddenly; its duration depends on the
causative disorder. This symptom may occur with those
disorders in which excessive tearing and corneal epithelial
edema are present. Among these causes, the most common and
significant is acute angle-closure glaucoma, which can lead to
blindness. With this disorder, increased intraocular pressure
forces fluid into corneal tissues anterior to Bowman's
membrane, causing edema. Halo vision is also an early symptom
of cataracts, resulting from the dispersion of light by
abnormal opacities on the lens.
Nonpathologic
causes of excessive tearing associated with halo vision
include poorly fitted or overworn contact lenses, emotional
extremes, and exposure to intense light, as in snow blindness.
HISTORY:
Ask the patient how long he has been seeing halos around lights and when he usually sees them.
Ask the patient if the light bothers his eyes or if he's experiencing eye pain. If he is, have him describe it.
Ask the patient if he wears contact lenses.
Review the patient's medical history for glaucoma and cataracts.
Ask the patient how long he has been seeing halos around lights and when he usually sees them.
Ask the patient if the light bothers his eyes or if he's experiencing eye pain. If he is, have him describe it.
Ask the patient if he wears contact lenses.
Review the patient's medical history for glaucoma and cataracts.
PHYSICAL
ASSESSMENT:
Examine the patient's eyes, noting conjunctival injection, excessive tearing, and lens changes.
Examine pupil size, shape, and response to light.
Examine the patient's eyes, noting conjunctival injection, excessive tearing, and lens changes.
Examine pupil size, shape, and response to light.
SPECIAL
CONSIDERATIONS:
Halos associated with excruciating eye pain or a severe headache may point to acute angle-closure glaucoma, which constitutes an emergency.
Halos associated with excruciating eye pain or a severe headache may point to acute angle-closure glaucoma, which constitutes an emergency.
PEDIATRIC
POINTERS:
Halo vision in a child usually results from a congenital cataract or glaucoma.
In a young child, the limited verbal ability may make halo vision difficult to assess.
Halo vision in a child usually results from a congenital cataract or glaucoma.
In a young child, the limited verbal ability may make halo vision difficult to assess.
AGING ISSUES:
Primary glaucoma, the most common cause of halo vision, is more common in elderly patients.
Primary glaucoma, the most common cause of halo vision, is more common in elderly patients.
PATIENT
COUNSELING:
To help minimize halo vision, remind the patient not to look directly at bright light.
To help minimize halo vision, remind the patient not to look directly at bright light.
Bibliography:
1. Rapid Assessment, A
Flowchart Guide to Evaluating Signs & Symptoms, Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins, 2004.
2. Professional Guide to
Signs and symptoms, Edition V, Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins, 2007.
3. Guide to common
symptoms, Edition V, McGraw - Hill, 2002.
Dorin,
Merticaru (2010)