Chemical Burns : Complications

Blindness is a lack of vision. It may also refer to a loss of vision that cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Partial blindness means you have very limited vision; Complete blindness means you cannot see anything and do not see light. People with vision worse than 20/200 are considered legally blind in most states in the United States.

Total blindness is the inability to tell light from dark, or the total inability to see. Visual impairment or low vision is a severe reduction in vision that can't be corrected with standard glasses or contact lenses and reduces a person's ability to function at certain or all tasks. Legal blindness (which is actually a severe visual impairment) refers to a best-corrected central vision of 20/200 or worse in the better eye or a visual acuity of better than 20/200 but with a visual field no greater than 20° (e.g., side vision that is so reduced that it appears as if the person is looking through a tunnel).

Coma, from the Greek word "koma," meaning deep sleep, is a state of extreme unresponsiveness, in which an individual exhibits no voluntary movement or behavior. Furthermore, in a deep coma, even painful stimuli (actions which, when performed on a healthy individual, result in reactions) are unable to affect any response, and normal reflexes may be lost.

Coma, from the Greek word koma , meaning deep sleep, is a state of extreme unresponsiveness, in which an individual exhibits no voluntary movement or behavior. Furthermore, in a deep coma, even painful stimuli (actions which, when performed on a healthy individual, result in reactions) are unable to cause any response, and normal reflexes may be lost.

A seizure is the physical findings or changes in behavior that occur after an episode of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. See also: Generalized tonic clonic seizure; Partial (focal) seizure; Petit mal (absence) seizure; Epilepsy; Fever (febrile) convulsions (seizures in children with high fever.

A seizure is a sudden change in behavior characterized by changes in sensory perception (sense of feeling) or motor activity (movement) due to an abnormal firing of nerve cells in the brain. Epilepsy is a condition characterized by recurrent seizures that may include repetitive muscle jerking called convulsions.

A seizure is a sudden change in behavior characterized by changes in sensory perception (sense of feeling) or motor activity (movement) due to an abnormal firing of nerve cells in the brain . Epilepsy is a condition characterized by recurrent seizures that may include repetitive muscle jerking called convulsions.

A temporary series of uncontrollable muscle spasms brought on by unusual electrical activity in the brain. Also known as convulsion, clonic seizure, or tonic-clonic seizure. A seizure is characterized by a sudden episode of un- controllable brain activity. The intense, involuntary muscular contractions that often accompany seizures are referred to as convulsions. Seizures normally last three to five minutes, with a period of unconsciousness that may last for up to 30 minutes. Seizures can result from a chronic condition, such as epilepsy. Alternatively, convulsions may be related to an acute condition, such as a high fever, adverse reaction to medication, or infection. In childhood, the most common cause of convulsion, or seizure, is high fever. Seizures triggered by fever are referred to as febrile seizures. Seizures can also result from encephalitis, meningitis, otitis media (middle ear infection), or from the ingestion of large doses of drugs, such as antidepressants or stimulants. There are two types of seizures: grand mal and petit mal. Grand mal seizures involve intense contractions of the muscles of the trunk and limbs. Immediately prior to the seizure, the patient may have some indication that it is imminent. During the seizure the patient becomes un- conscious and experiences generalized muscle contractions, known as clonic seizures, that may distort the body. Thrashing movements of the limbs follow, caused by opposing sets of muscles alternating in contractions (hence, the other name for grand mal seizures: tonic- clonic seizures). The patient may also lose bladder control. When the seizure ceases, usually after three to five minutes, the patient may remain unconscious for up to half an hour. Upon waking, he or she may not remember having had a seizure and may be confused. Petit mal seizures last approximately 30 seconds, during which the patient may experience subtle signs of irregular brain activity before returning to normal activity. Signs of petit mal seizures include blinking, staring into space, or pausing in conversation. Petit mal seizures are hereditary, and only occur only in children and adolescents under age 20. The seizures may occur several times a day, usually when the patient is quiet. After puberty, petit mal seizures usually disappear or are replaced by grand mal seizures. Status epilepticus is a very rare but potentially lifethreatening condition in which grand mal seizures occur in rapid succession with no period of recovery between them. The patient may have difficulty breathing and experience a dangerous rise in blood pressure. Status epilepticus can be triggered by abruptly discontinuing medication prescribed for epilepsy, or by alcohol withdrawal. Although observing a child experiencing a seizure can be alarming, the incident itself rarely leads to serious injury or complications. People of all ages who experience seizures are more adversely affected by misconceptions and stigma attached to seizures than by the seizure itself. For many individuals, the unpredictableness and loss of control over one's body are the most difficult aspects of seizure. Adolescents, particularly susceptible to seizure associated with epilepsy, may find the loss of control and dependence on others especially disturbing. Adolescents (and adults) with epilepsy are restricted from participating in certain activities, such as driving a car or riding a motorcycle, scuba diving, and gymnastics. Seizures associated with epilepsy can usually be controlled with anticonvulsant medication. Education and consistent medication will help the patient adjust to seizure activity and carry on a normal life, with some restrictions. Occasionally, an adolescent who does not respond to medication may find relief in a surgical procedure to remove brain tissues. Children who experience even one episode of febrile seizure (associated with high fever) were formerly treated with anticonvulsant medication as a preventive measure. The National