Papilloedema with swelling of the optic nerve head, caused by increased intracranial pressure with oedema-induced blurring of the disk margins and obliteration of the optic cup, elevation of the nerve head, capillary congestion, hyperemia, venous engorgement, loss of venous pulse, peripapillary exudates, retinal wrinkling, and punctate nerve fiber layer hemorrhage; if pressure is reduced, fundus returns to normal without loss of vision; increased intracranial pressure is due to meningoencephalitis, hemorrhage, metabolic disease, toxins, trauma, or tumours

pa·pil·le·de·ma

(pap'il-ĕ-dē'mă)

Edema of the optic disc, due to increased intracranial pressure.
Synonym(s): choked disc, papilloedema.

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

papilloedema

Swelling and protrusion of the OPTIC DISC at the back of the inside of the eye. This is visible by means of an OPHTHALMOSCOPE and is an important indication of a rise in the pressure within the skull. Raised pressure is transmitted along the sheaths of the optic nerves. Papilloedema is always serious and may indicate a brain tumour or other major disorder. Early observation of papilloedema may be life-saving.

Collins Dictionary of Medicine © Robert M. Youngson 2004, 2005

papilloedema

A non-inflammatory oedema of the optic nerve head produced by raised intracranial pressure, and due most commonly to a cerebral tumour. It can also result from cerebral abscesses, meningitis, encephalitis, subarachnoid haemorrhages, head injury, hydrocephalus, etc. The optic disc appears raised above the level of the retina and its margins are blurred, the central vessels on the surface of the disc are displaced forward, the retinal veins are dilated and there is nearly always a loss of induced venous pulsation. The swollen disc displaces the retina and this causes an enlargement of the blind spot on visual field measurement. In the early stages visual acuity is not affected (unlike in papillitis), although if the condition persists there will be some loss. In advanced stages, there may be haemorrhages around the disc, secondary optic atrophy, exudates, as well as headaches and vomiting. The condition is usually bilateral. Note: also spelt papilledema. Syn. choked disc. See optic atrophy; optic neuritis; pseudopapilloedema; Foster Kennedy syndrome.

Table P1 Differential diagnosis between papilloedema and papillitis
	papilloedema	papillitis
signs
disc elevation	raised	slightly raised
disc hyperaemia	present	present
disc margins	blurred	blurred
retinal veins	congested	congested
haemorrhages	near disc	some in late stage
pupil light reflex	normal	impaired
venous pulsation	absent	present
secondary optic atrophy	present in late stage	may appear in late stage
symptoms
visual acuity	normal, except in late stage	reduced
visual field	enlarged blind spot	central scotoma
diplopia	present	absent
colour vision	normal	impaired
pain	absent	present on moving the eyes
headache	present	absent

pa·pil·le·de·ma

(pap'il-ĕ-dē'mă)

Edema of the optic disc.
Synonym(s): choked disc, papilloedema.

[papilla + edema]

Medical Dictionary for the Dental Professions © Farlex 2012

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References in periodicals archive

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These symptoms are thought to reflect critical compromise of optic nerve head perfusion and are typically associated with the finding of papilloedema.

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In all patients the stent eliminated the pressure gradient, improved IIH symptoms and abolished papilloedema. Similar improvements have been reported in other studies (78-81).

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Neurological examination showed that the patient had aphasia, hemiparesis, papilloedema, and 3rd (III), 7th (V11), and 9th (IX) cranial nerve palsies, and he was scheduled For surgery.

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They describe ocular anatomy and eye examination, then core conditions in ophthalmology, including the ophthalmic features of systemic hypertension, diabetes, sarcoidosis, endocarditis, and demyelinating disease and space-occupying lesions of the brain, as well as how to recognize iritis, different forms of retinopathy, and the difference between papilloedema and papillitis.

Ophthalmology; lecture notes, 11th ed

Visual fields and Ishihara colour vision were normal and there was no evidence of an afferent papillary defect or papilloedema. A CT scan of the head showed no abnormalities, so the right medial rectus muscle was treated with Botox injection.

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His blood pressure was noted to be 250/150 mmHg, and fundoscopy showed bilateral papilloedema. His records showed a normal ophthalmic examination 3 months previously.

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Papilloedema was suspected on ophthalmoscopy, and head tilt was seen to the left by the time she was examined in the ward.

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The 19-year-old was suffering headaches and dizzy spells, so staff trained a retinal camera that she normally uses on customers on her eyes - and spotted the potentially fatal condition Papilloedema.

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Concerning cerebral tumours, Babinski put great emphasis on the effects on the papilloedema; the side where the papilloedema is predominant can indicate where the surgeon should apply himself.

Historical figure: Dr Joseph Babinski (1857-1932)

Fundoscopy showed bilateral papilloedema and flame haemorrhages.

Renal cortical necrosis and HELLP syndrome: a case presentation