From 'fatigue' to seizures: 30-year-old teacher's vision blurs led to life-changing diagnoses, shares Hyderabad neurologist

A 30-year-old school teacher in Hyderabad experienced brief, unexplained episodes of blurred vision over six months. Initially mild and infrequent, these episodes were dismissed as fatigue from long hours of teaching, skipped meals, and work stress. Even after consulting two ophthalmologists, her eyes were found normal, leaving her and her family puzzled. What seemed like a minor issue soon took a serious turn, prompting a deeper medical investigation that revealed a treatable neurological condition.

Apollo neurologist Dr Sudhir Kumar took the case and carefully reviewed the chronology of symptoms. After the teacher experienced loss of consciousness with involuntary urination during a blurred-vision episode, it became clear these were seizures, not simple visual problems. The earlier episodes were focal seizures with visual symptoms, while the last episode had secondarily generalised seizures, involving autonomic functions.

The prominent visual aura suggested an occipital lobe origin, and an MRI confirmed right occipital lobe gliosis, fully explaining the seizure pattern. Dr Kumar explained the diagnosis, seizure nature, and treatment plan to the patient and her family. She was started on anti-seizure medication and advised regular follow-up.


Over the next three months, she remained completely asymptomatic, returning to teaching and regaining confidence in both professional and personal life. What began as fatigue turned out to be a treatable neurological condition once the right questions were asked.

About seizures

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a seizure is a surge of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The most recognisable signs include temporary loss of consciousness and uncontrollable movements, though seizures can appear very differently in each person. Some may experience brief staring spells, jerking limbs, or muscle twitches. Causes vary widely, from blood sugar changes to illness, injury, or underlying conditions.

Seizures are broadly classified into two types: generalized and focal. Generalized seizures involve both sides of the brain at once, including tonic-clonic, myoclonic, absence, atonic, clonic, tonic, and secondary generalized seizures. Focal seizures begin in one part of the brain and may or may not affect awareness, including focal onset aware and focal onset impaired awareness seizures. A healthcare provider can guide diagnosis and treatment based on the seizure type.