[Visual field defects due to antiepileptic drugs]

Abstract

Within the last years several reports concerning visual field defects, associated with antiepileptic drugs, have been published. In addition to antiepileptic drugs several other causes (e.g. retinopathy or chloroquine, phenothiazine etc.) may induce visual field disturbances. Visual field defects have been observed during vigabatrine, tiagabine, gabapentine, diazepam, phenytoine, and carbamazepine treatment. In 13 to 46% visual field defects are reported to be linked with epilepsies. In addition to general population based studies concerning visual field defects and prospective etiological studies in epilepsies, preclinical studies for the examination of the pathomechanism of visual field defects are necessary.