Decreased visual acuity and loss of field of vision after inguinal hernia surgery

A 60-year-old patient reported a slight decrease in visual acuity with loss of field of vision. He also noted a mild sense of vertigo and a feeling of "pressure in his head". He had undergone laparoscopic bilateral hernia repair 3 days before on an outpatient basis. Diagnostic work-up revealed shock-induced anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) of the left eye. Without special treatment measures the head pressure and feeling of weakness subsided considerably in a spontaneous course within 24 h. Three months later partial optic atrophy of the affected eye was observed with stable visual acuity of 0.8 and unchanged loss of field of vision.