Two patients are presented who demonstrated transient visual cortical defects following episodes of paroxysmal hypertension. Both patients were quadraplegic as a result of cervical spinal cord injuries. The hypertension was a part of the autonomic hyperreflexia syndrome commonly seen in patients with traumatic spinal cord transections.
The visual disturbances consisted of a partial homonymous hemianopsia in the first patient, and concentric constriction of the visual fields with markedly reduced central acuity in the second. Full recovery occurred within several days in both.