By Islam El-Sakka
Dami Amoo, 28, from West Bromwich, Birmingham, visited a Boots Opticians branch in August for a routine eye test after being accidentally hit in the eye by a ball. She expected to leave with eye drops but was instead rushed to hospital when the optometrist detected swelling behind her eyes.
Emergency Diagnosis
The optometrist, Shaniah Dacosta-Palmer, identified signs of papilloedema — swelling of the optic disc caused by increased intracranial pressure — and referred Amoo immediately to Birmingham & Midland Eye Centre. There, doctors confirmed her optic nerve was swollen and sent her to A&E for a CT scan, MRI, and lumbar puncture. The lumbar puncture measured her cerebrospinal fluid pressure at 29 cm H₂O, well above the normal range of 10–18 cm H₂O. Draining some fluid reduced the pressure to 22 cm H₂O.
Underlying Condition
Amoo was diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), a condition where pressure around the brain rises for no known reason. She had experienced severe headaches since university but had considered them normal. The condition can cause vision changes, severe headaches, and pain behind the eyes, and if untreated can lead to permanent sight loss.
Treatment and Clinical Trial
She was prescribed acetazolamide (Diamox) to reduce fluid production and advised to lose weight, a common risk factor for IIH. Amoo also enrolled in the IIH Advance clinical trial at the University of Birmingham, led by Professor Sinclair, which investigates whether weight-loss medication can help manage the condition. She is monitored monthly by specialists.
Symptoms to Watch
The NHS lists symptoms of intracranial hypertension as constant throbbing headaches — often worse in the morning or when coughing — temporary vision loss, nausea, sleepiness, irritability, sensitivity to light, pulsing noises in the ears, balance problems, confusion, and weakness or numbness.
