optic neuritis

Question 1

sx of optic neuritis

Answer 1

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

Question 2

what is RAPD

Answer 2

RAPD is an abnormal finding on the swinging flashlight test where the pupils dilate when light swings from the unaffected to the affected eye.
It’s indicative of an optic nerve lesion, such as in optic neuritis - a common early symptom of multiple sclerosis.

Question 3

what condtions lead to RAPD

Answer 3

Any disorders that affect the optic nerves regardless of the its pathology can lead to a RAPD. Common causes

demyilinating - Multiple sclerosis,
Ischemic optic neuropathies: These include arteritic (Giant Cell Arteritis) and non-arteritic causes.
Glaucoma: While glaucoma normally is a bilateral disease, if one optic nerve has particularly severe damage, an RAPD can be seen however it can cause bilateral APD.
Other optic nerve inflammations Sarcoidosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren’s syndrome