Postoperative visual loss (POVL) is a rare but devastating complication of spinal fusion surgery, and the incidence of POVL or visual impairment is also increasing. Visual impairment can occur in one or both of the patient's eyes during the postoperative period, and POVL may not represent total blindness. The signs of visual impairment in these patients range from blurred vision to irreversible, complete, visual loss.
Visual loss after spinal fusion surgery is a rare but devastating complication with a reported incidence of 0.017 to 0.1 percent. The major causes of visual loss in this patient population include Ischemic optic neuropathy (ION) Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) CRAO and RVO are attributed to embolic load and/or direct globe compression, emphasizing the need to protect the eyes from direct pressure while in the prone position. The…
