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Optic neuropathy is the inflammation of the optic nerve, responsible for carrying visual information from the eye to the brain.
The most frequent causes are vascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, infections, multiple sclerosis or nerve compression (tumors, trauma).
It manifests with a rapid loss of vision in one eye (which can be permanent), altering color vision deficiency. Red eyes and pain may also occur.
Diagnosis is made through clinical history and physical examination. Imaging tests (tomography, magnetic resonance imaging) will be needed if specific causes such as tumors, multiple sclerosis, etc. are suspected.
Treatment will be medical and/or surgical and will vary depending on the cause.
- Benjamin Osborne. Optic neuropathies. UpToDate. Octubre 2016
- Benjamin Osborne. Optic neuritis: Pathophysiology, clinical features, and diagnosis. UpToDate. Mayo 2016
- Balcer LJ. Clinical practice. Optic neuritis. N Engl J Med 2006; 354:1273.
- Foroozan. Acute demyelinating optic neuritis. Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2002; 13:375.
- Frohman EM. The neuro-ophthalmology of multiple sclerosis. Lancet Neurol 2005; 4:111.
- Jonathan C. Horton. Trastornos de los ojos. Harrison. Principios de Medicina Interna, 19e. Capítulo 39
Dr. Patricia Sánchez
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