Association of high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone with reversal of blindness from lightning in two patients.

OBJECTIVE

To report possibly beneficial effects of treatment with high-dose corticosteroids given intravenously to two patients with loss of vision after lightning strikes.

DESIGN

Case reports.

PARTICIPANTS

Two patients who suffered the effects of a lightning strike.

INTERVENTION: High-dose intravenous methylprednisolone (NASCIS-2 Protocol).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Vision recovery, pupil responses, and optic nerve appearance.

RESULTS

One patient had unilateral ophthalmoscopically visible abnormality with light perception vision and a relative afferent defect in that eye; vision recovered to 20/25. The other patient had no light perception, nonreactive pupils, and normal fundus examinations in both eyes; vision recovered bilaterally to normal (20/20).

CONCLUSIONS

High-dose intravenous corticosteroid treatment in these patients may have had a role in their visual recovery.