Optic neuritis Flashcards
What is optic neuritis?
Inflammation of the optic nerve, which carries visual information from eye to brain
Over how long does optic neuritis present?
From hours to days
How does optic neuritis present?
unilateral decrease in visual acuity over hours or days
poor discrimination of colours, ‘red desaturation’
pain worse on eye movement
relative afferent pupillary defect
central scotoma
Is optic neuritis unilateral or bilateral?
Unilateral
What is a central scotoma?
Enlarged blind spot
What is the name of impaired colour vision?
Red desaturaiton
What is the main cause of optic neuritis?
Multiple Sclerosis
What are the other 2 possible causes of optic neuritis?
Diabetes
Syphilis
What is the management of optic neuritis?
High dose steroids
How long does optic neuritis take to resolve?
4-6 weeks
What can optic neuritis be indicative of?
Who will go on to develop multiple sclerosis
What scan would you do on someone presenting with optic neuritis?
MRI scan
What might you see on an MRI scan of someone who will go on to develop optic neuritis?
> 3 white-matter lesions, 5-year risk of developing multiple sclerosis is c. 50%
