Acosta syndrome (mountain sickness; mountain climber syndrome; monge syndrome; soroche syndrome)

General: Cause is cerebral hypoxia at high altitudes; Monge syndrome is the chronic form of mountain sickness.

Ocular: Acute blurred vision; difficulties in color discrimination; impaired light adaptation; retinal hemorrhage; chronic lid edema; bluish scleral injection; decreased visual acuity.

Clinical: Restlessness and irritability; headaches; impaired judgment at approximately 15,000 feet; confusion, cyanosis, muscular incoordination and possible loss of consciousness at approximately 18,000 to 20,000 feet; exertional dyspnea; epistaxis; gum bleeding; hemoptysis; anorexia; nausea; vomiting; tinnitus; cough; loss of libido; paresthesian extremities; coma; clubbing of fingers; hepatosplenomegaly.

Monge C. High altitude disease. Arch Intern Med 1937; 59:32.

Shults WT, Swan KC. High altitude retinopathy in mountain climbers. Arch Ophthalmol 1975; 93:404.

Wiedman M. High altitude retinal hemorrhage. Arch Ophthalmol 1975; 93:401.