Visual abnormalities after severe head injuries.

The authors studied 12 patients with major abnormalities of the afferent visual system following closed injury to the head. The anatomic sites of injury were the eye in five patients, the optic nerve in seven patients, the chiasm in four patients and the optic radiations in four patients. A technique for rapid evaluation of the afferent visual system in patients with multiple injuries is presented. Three representative examples of permanent visual loss following closed head injury are reported.