Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is a syndrome of increased intracranial pressure of unknown cause that most often occurs in obese women of childbearing age, although it can also occur in children, men, and older adults. Papilledema is usually present and can cause irreversible vision loss if left untreated. In this chapter, we begin by reviewing the symptoms of this condition, which include headache, transient visual obscurations, and pulse-synchronous tinnitus. We next review the clinical signs and common findings on formal visual field testing. We then discuss the diagnostic evaluation and review the diagnostic criteria for this condition. Lastly, we review the goals and management of this condition, which must be tailored depending on the severity of symptoms, papilledema, and vision loss.