Halo vision

Halo vision refers to seeing rainbowlike, colored rings around lights or bright objects. This effect can be explained by this physical principle: As light passes through water (in the eye, through tears or the cells of various anteretinal media), it breaks up into spectral colors.

Halo vision usually develops suddenly; its duration depends on the causative disorder. It may occur with disorders associated with excessive tearing and corneal epithelial edema. Among these causes, the most common and significant is acute angle-closure glaucoma, which can lead to blindness. With this disorder, increased intraocular pressure (IOP) forces fluid into corneal tissues anterior to Bowman’s membrane, causing edema. Halo vision is also an early symptom of cataracts, resulting from dispersion of light by abnormal opacities on the lens.

Nonpathologic causes of excessive tearing associated with halo vision include poorly fitted or overworn contact lenses, emotional extremes, and exposure to intense light such as in snow blindness.

History and physical examination

First, ask the patient how long he has been seeing halos around lights and when he usually sees them. The patient with glaucoma usually sees halos in the morning, when IOP is most elevated. Ask the patient if light bothers his eyes. Does he have eye pain? If so, have him describe it. Remember that halos associated with excruciating eye pain or a severe headache may point to acute angle-closure glaucoma, an ocular emergency. Note a history of glaucoma or cataracts.

Next, examine the patient’s eyes, noting conjunctival injection, excessive tearing, and lens changes. Examine pupil size, shape, and response to light. Then test visual acuity by performing an ophthalmoscopic examination.

Medical causes

Cataract

Halo vision may be an early symptom of painless, progressive cataract formation

The glare of headlights may blind the patient, making nighttime driving impossible. Other features include blurred vision, impaired visual acuity, and lens opacity, all of which develop gradually.

Corneal endothelial dystrophy

Typically, halo vision is a late symptom

Impaired visual acuity may also occur.

Glaucoma

Halo vision characterizes all types of glaucoma

Acute angle-closure glaucoma — an ophthalmic emergency — also causes blurred vision, followed by a severe headache or excruciating pain in and around the affected eye. Examination reveals a moderately dilated fixed pupil that doesn’t respond to light, conjunctival injection, a cloudy cornea, impaired visual acuity and, possibly, nausea and vomiting.

Chronic angle-closure glaucoma is usually asymptomatic until pain and blindness occur in advanced disease. Sometimes, halos and blurred vision develop slowly.

With chronic open-angle glaucoma, halo vision is a late symptom that’s accompanied by a mild eye ache, peripheral vision loss, and impaired visual acuity.

Special considerations

To help minimize halo vision, remind the patient not to look directly at bright lights.

Pediatric pointers

Halo vision in a child usually results from congenital cataracts or glaucoma

In a young child, limited verbal ability may make halo vision difficult to assess.

Geriatric pointers

Primary glaucoma, the most common cause of halo vision, is most common in patients older than age 60.

Book Source Details

• Book Title: Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)
• Author(s): Springhouse
• Year of Publication: 2006
• Copyright Details: Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition), Copyright © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Other Book Chapters Related to Cloudy vision

Read excerpts from these other book chapters related to Cloudy vision:

Copyright Details: Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition), Copyright © 2008 Williams & Wilkins.

More About Causes of Cloudy vision

• Back to symptom: Cloudy vision: Introduction (review 215 causes)
• Next Book Extract About Cloudy vision: Hemianopsia (Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition))
• All Book Extracts: All Online Book Extracts for Cloudy vision

More About This Book: Title: Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition) Authors: Springhouse Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Copyright: 2006 ISBN: 1-58255-402-1

 » Next page: Hemianopsia (Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition))

Rate This Website

What do you think about the features of this website? Take our user survey and have your say:

Website User Survey

Medical Tools & Articles:

Next articles:

• Hemianopsia (Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition))
• Scotoma (Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition))
• Vision loss (Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition))
• Urine cloudiness (Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition))
• Halo vision (Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition))

Tools & Services:

• Bookmark this page
• Take a survey relating to Cloudy vision
• Symptom Search
• Symptom Checker
• Medical Dictionary
• Give your feedback

Medical Articles:

• Disease & Treatments Search
• Misdiagnosis Center
• Full list of interesting articles

Forums & Message Boards

• Ask or answer a question at the Boards:
• I cannot get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for my condition?
• See all the Boards.

Enter your search terms Submit search form
Search The Web Search wrongdiagnosis.com

Common Health Mistakes

Symptom
Checker

Search Specialists by State and City