Wood alcohol, or methanol, is a widely used organic solvent that, when consumed, can result in metabolic acidosis, neurological effects, and even death due to its toxicity. It is a component of numerous industrial solvents that are sold commercially as well as certain alcoholic beverages that are not well-adulterated. In many underdeveloped nations, methanol poisoning is still a prevalent issue, particularly for people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Complications:

1. Loss of vision :

There is uncertainty regarding the exact mechanism by which methanol poisoning affects the visual system. It is reasonable to assume that formic acid, a toxic metabolite of methanol, is the cause of ocular damage in research including humans as well as animal models. 
Ocular damage is correlated with serum methanol concentrations higher than 20 mg/dL. Within a few hours of methanol consumption, funduscopic alterations become noticeable and can include retinal edema in the perimacular area or the entire fundus. Within 48 hours, optic disc edema and hyperemia are noted.

Prompt antidote medication or hemodialysis to remove the metabolites from the body can help prevent visual damage, albeit this isn't always the case.

2. Abnormalities of movement :

Certain long-term survivors of methanol poisoning have been reported to have Parkinsonian motor dysfunction. The putamen's propensity for formic acid to accumulate in high amounts is assumed to be the cause of this, while the exact causes of this phenomena remain unknown. Formic acid's capacity to interrupt dopaminergic pathways and boost dopa-B-hydroxylase enzymatic activity is one theory for why.

The onset of symptoms typically takes many weeks following methanol exposure. Tremor, cogwheel rigidity, hunched posture, shuffling gait, and hypokinesis are common parkinsonian symptoms that have been extensively documented. Moreover, it has been proven that dystonia and corticospinal tract symptoms arise. 
Levodopa, amantadine, and bromocriptine are three common antiparkinsonian medications that have been shown in a number of case reports to have an effect on symptoms.

Methanol intoxication has also been linked to muscle spasms. This condition reacts poorly to conventional therapy, as would be expected.

Prognosis :

The amount of methanol consumed and the ensuing degree of metabolic acidosis determine the prognosis in cases of methanol poisoning; higher levels of severe acidosis results in a worse prognosis. The degree of formic acid buildup in the blood also affects prognosis; there is a clear relationship between formic acid concentration and morbidity and mortality. It is unrealistic to expect significant long-term improvement from patients with neurologic problems. 
It is thought that an adult's least fatal dose of methanol is between 0.3 and 1 g/kg of body weight. It is unknown how many people die and how much morbidity result from methanol poisoning.