Final answer:
The loss of lateral peripheral vision, known as bilateral hemianopia, occurs when a growth of the pituitary gland presses against the optic chiasm and interferes with signal transmission. This results in the patient losing the outermost areas of their field of vision and being unable to see objects to their right and left.
Step-by-step explanation:
A unique clinical presentation that relates to this anatomic arrangement is the loss of lateral peripheral vision, known as bilateral hemianopia. This is different from "tunnel vision" because the superior and inferior peripheral fields are not lost. Visual field deficits can be disturbing for a patient, but in this case, the cause is not within the visual system itself. A growth of the pituitary gland presses against the optic chiasm and interferes with signal transmission. However, the axons projecting to the same side of the brain are unaffected. Therefore, the patient loses the outermost areas of their field of vision and cannot see objects to their right and left.