Epilepsy

Question 1

What is epilepsy?

Answer 1

A condition that occurs due to abnormal brain activity involving recurrent seizures

Question 2

What are seizures?

Answer 2

Result from transient, uncontrolled electrical discharge across cerebral cortex

Question 3

How does epilepsy affect the eyes?

Answer 3

Depending on the area of the brain, rapid eye blinking, staring, eye deviation, visual field loss, visual hallucinations

Question 4

How is epilepsy treated?

Answer 4

Medications, dietary therapy, devices and surgery

Question 5

What are antiepileptics?

Answer 5

Drugs used to stabilise the membrane, to help inhibit or enhance inhibitory pathway

Question 6

What are the most commonly used drugs?

Answer 6

Phenytoin, sodium valproate, carbamazepine, lamotrigine, levetiracetam and topiramate

Question 7

How does phenytoin affect the eyes?

Answer 7

Can cause nystagmus, blurred vision and diplopia

Question 8

How does Carbamazepine affect the eyes?

Answer 8

Causes blurred vision, diplopia, conjunctivitis, lenticular opacities

Question 9

How does Lamotrigine affect the eyes?

Answer 9

Can cause blurred vision or diplopia

Question 10

How does Gabapentin affect the eyes?

Answer 10

Causes diplopia, nystagmus and amblyopia