Adult-onset idiopathic occipital photosensitive epilepsy

(Top) Sample from an EEG of a man who had his first seizure at the age of 35 years while in a lift cradle at work. His vision became blurred, he felt dizzy and, within 2 minutes, he had a GTCS. No further seizures occurred in the next 6 months of follow-up. MRI was normal. (Bottom) Sample from an EEG of a woman who had her first seizure at the age of 31 years. There was a cluster of precipitating factors. She had consumed a few alcoholic drinks, was sleep deprived, 4 months pregnant, and dancing exposed to flickering discotheque lights until the early hours of the next day. She first experienced whirling lights in front of her eyes, visual perception became disturbed, and within a minute she had a GTCS. She was well in the next 4 months of follow up. MRI was normal. (Used with permission from: Panayiotopoulos CP. Reflex seizures and related epileptic syndromes: a clinical guide to epileptic syndromes and their treatment. Revised 2nd ed. London: Springer, 2010:497-531.)