Iranian Rehabilitation Journal (Sep 2021)
Post-traumatic Anton’s Syndrome and Its Rehabilitation Challenges: A Case Report
Abstract
Objectives: Anton’s syndrome is a rare clinical phenomenon characterized by acquired cortical blindness without the self-awareness of blindness. Patients with this syndrome tend to deny their visual deficits. The literature on the rehabilitation of individuals with Anton’s syndrome is sparse. Methods: We describe a 26-year-old patient who developed Anton’s syndrome in the background of anterior visual tract damage and multiple intracranial bleedings after traumatic brain injury. He presented with visual agnosia and confabulations that were only detected 2 months after trauma. He received 4 months of multidisciplinary rehabilitation care as an outpatient. His comprehensive program consisted of (a) compensatory strategies, (b) restorative strategies, and (c) counseling sessions. Although he showed significant improvement in terms of functional gain with rehabilitation, he still had visual deficits with occasional visual anosognosia that required 24-h supervision. Conclusion: Anton’s syndrome in traumatic brain injury should not be overlooked. A prompt diagnosis is vital to initiate appropriate rehabilitation measures.
