Differential Diagnosis for Headache with Vision Loss
- Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Migraine with aura: This is a common condition that can cause headaches accompanied by visual disturbances, including vision loss. The visual symptoms are usually transient and can be followed by a headache.
- Other Likely Diagnoses
- Cluster headache: Although less common than migraines, cluster headaches can cause severe pain and are often accompanied by autonomic symptoms, including eye symptoms that might lead to vision disturbances.
- Temporal arteritis (Giant Cell Arteritis): This condition can cause headaches and vision loss, especially in older adults. It is an inflammatory disease that affects the blood vessels, including those supplying the eyes.
- Optic neuritis: This is an inflammation of the optic nerve that can cause vision loss and pain, especially with eye movement. It can be associated with multiple sclerosis.
- Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Pituitary apoplexy: A medical emergency where a pituitary tumor suddenly hemorrhages or infarcts, leading to severe headache, vision loss, and potentially life-threatening complications if not promptly treated.
- Stroke or cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: These conditions can cause sudden vision loss and headache. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent further brain damage.
- Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH): Also known as pseudotumor cerebri, this condition can cause increased intracranial pressure, leading to headaches and vision loss, including transient vision obscurations and potentially permanent vision loss if not treated.
- Rare Diagnoses
- Occipital lobe stroke or tumor: These can cause visual field defects and headaches but are less common causes of the combination of headache and vision loss.
- Susac syndrome: A rare condition characterized by small vessel vasculitis that affects the brain and retina, leading to vision loss, headaches, and other neurological symptoms.
- Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease: A rare autoimmune condition that can cause uveitis, skin pigmentation, and neurological symptoms, including headaches and vision loss.