Psycho Ophthalmology : the Interface between Psychiatry and Ophthalmology

The practice of ophthalmology and psychiatry meet over in several aspects of patient diagnosis, management & therapy. The ophthalmologists should be able to recognise signs and symptoms of psychiatric disorder. Non organic disorders could have ophthalmologic manifestations related both the afferent system and motor system related symptoms. Ophthalmologist should be aware of conditions like functional vision loss and visual field loss, voluntary nystagmus, spasm of near reflex, non-organic disturbances of eyelid function, ocular and facial sensation and psychosomatic diseases of eye.Many of the drugs used in psychiatry may cause ophthalmological side effects. These drugs can affect retina, optic nerve, higher visual centre, cornea, lens, ocular motor system and intra ocular pressure. Thalidomide used in 1950s was known to cause congenital ocular defects. Psychological reaction and psychiatric complications are well known after cataract surgery.Other then these problems there are psychiatric disorders which can present ophthalmologic signs and symptoms.