Optic neuropathy miasms
Clinic
Optic neuropathy is damage to the optic nerve from any cause. The optic nerve is a bundle of millions of fibers in the retina that sends visual signals to the brain. [1].
Damage and death of these neurons, leads to characteristic features of optic neuropathy.
The main symptom is loss of vision, with colors appearing subtly washed out in the affected eye.
A pale disc is characteristic of long-standing optic neuropathy. In many cases, only one eye is affected and patients may not be aware of the loss of color vision until the doctor asks them to cover the healthy eye.
Optic neuropathy is often called optic atrophy, to describe the loss of some or most of the fibers of the optic nerve.
Types
Ischemic optic neuropathy
In ischemic optic neuropathies, there is insufficient blood flow (ischemia) to the optic nerve which leads to Neuropathy
Optic neuritis
Optic neuritis is inflammation of the optic nerve, which is associated with swelling and destruction of the myelin sheath covering the optic nerve.
Several causes and clinical courses are possible for the optic neuritis. It can be classified in:
- Single isolated optic neuritis (SION)
- relapsing isolated optic neuritis (RION)
- chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuropathy (CRION)
- Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) spectrum disorder
- MS associated optic neuritis (MSON)
- Unclassified optic neuritis (UCON) forms.
Medical examination of the optic nerve with an ophthalmoscope may reveal a swollen optic nerve, but the nerve may also appear normal. Presence of an afferent pupillary defect, decreased color vision, and visual field loss (often central) are suggestive of optic neuritis. Recovery of visual function is expected within 10 weeks. However, attacks may lead to permanent axonal loss and thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer.