Recognize the patterns of visual defects that are caused by pituitary tumors.

Explanation

The pituitary lies under the optic chiasm. It can produce any pattern of visual loss EXCEPT losses purely due to damage to the superior fibers of the tracts/chiasm that supply the upper part of the retina (which is responsible for vision in the lower quadrants of the visual field).

This means that whenever the superior fibers are involved due to the pituitary, the inferior fibers must be involved too. In terms of the visual fields this translates into - whenever the lower visual field is involved due to the pituitary, the upper fields must be involved too..

The pattern does not have to be symmetrical.

Treatment varies according to the type of tumor. In hyperfunctioning gland a guess of Bromocryptine will be correct in most cases.