Question about a brain tumor

[dtrachtman]

I am writing a novel in which a character begins seeing halos around people that get stronger over time. The cause is a mystery until a doctor discovers that he has a brain tumor pressing on his occipital lobe.
I have no medical experience, is this scenario theoretically possible? thanks
Dan

[Dr. Joshua]

Stretching it a bit, why not. I haven't seen this symptom, but a tumor anywhere from the optic nerve, through the optic tract, optic radiata, and occipital lobe could theoretically cause an exotic symptom such as you describe, although I believe halo vision is more seen in ophthalmological conditions such as glaucoma and cataract.

But considering what passes for medicine in books and movies, yours is not the biggest stretch, at least it makes some kind of sense.

I had a patient once complaining of seeing what should be straight lines as wavy lines. This is called metamorphopsia, and in his case it was caused by a brain tumor that blocked the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, causing hydrocephalus, causing increased intracranial pressure, causing swelling of the optic nerve ending and finally that was the direct cause of metamorphopsia.

He came in the first day he started seeing wavy lines, he was operated for the tumor on the second day, and after 5 days he was discharged, cured. Sometimes surgery can be a rewarding field...