A 44-year-old man in Taiwan was left permanently blind in one eye after sleeping with his face pressed against it, causing blood vessels to rupture and fluid to accumulate READ MORE: Flesh-eating parasite almost sent me BLIND in one eyeBy Emily Joshu Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com Published: 11:03 EST, 9 February 2024 | Updated: 11:03 EST, 9 February 2024
A man in Taiwan became permanently blind in one eye after a night of heavy drinking and falling asleep face-down. The man, whose identity was not disclosed, sought emergency care in Puzi City, Taiwan, when he experienced three days of blindness and pain in his left eye. He mentioned that the symptoms started after he had been drinking and had taken medication for insomnia. After passing out for three hours, he slept in a way that put pressure on his affected eye. Upon examination, doctors found that the left pupil was unresponsive to light and unable to move. Experts stated in the case report that the man had developed ophthalmoplegia, causing paralysis of his eye muscles and bulging of the eye. 
When doctors examined the unnamed patient, his left pupil did not move or respond to light 
Pressure on the eye caused blood vessels to rupture, leading to a hemorrhageDoctors determined that the pressure on the eye had caused the subconjunctival blood vessels, located just beneath the eye’s clear surface, to rupture, resulting in a hemorrhage and swelling of the eye’s surrounding tissue. The man was diagnosed with ischemic optic neuropathy (ION) and choroidopathy. ION occurs when blood flow to the eye’s optic nerve, responsible for transmitting visual signals from the eyes to the brain, is disrupted, leading to vision loss. Vision loss from ION is usually permanent because the optic nerve eventually ceases to function correctly and dies. However, individuals with ION often retain some peripheral vision. Those with conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes are at an increased risk of developing ION, as these conditions can impede blood circulation. 
The patient’s left eye also protruded outward due to the injuryChoroidopathy, on the other hand, is a condition that causes fluid to accumulate under the retina, the layer at the back of the eye responsible for capturing light and converting it into images. Symptoms typically include dim and blurred blind spots in the central vision, distortion, and objects appearing smaller or farther away than they actually are. The experts stated, ‘Historically, this condition has been known as “Saturday night retinopathy” due to its association with alcohol and sedating substances. There is no consensus on the management of the condition.’ The man received high-dose steroids to prevent further pressure. Although some individuals report regaining vision, the man remained blind in his left eye after four months. The case report was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.SHARE OR COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE:
Man, 44, goes partially BLIND after falling asleep face down while drunk and rupturing the blood vessels in his eyeball
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