Optic Neuritis

Question 1

What is optic neuritis

Answer 1

Inflammation of the optic nerve 🤦

Question 2

Types of optic neuritis

Answer 2

Papillitis: optic nerve head (children) (bilateral)
Retro-bulbar neuritis: infl or ON behind globe (adult)(unilateral)
Neuroretinitis: infl. Speard from disc toward retina, (least common)

Question 3

Causes of optic neuritis

Answer 3

Demyelinating disease (MS most common in adult)
Infection (HZ, mumps, poliomyelitis, TB, and Syphilis)
Local inflammation: retinits, uveitis, meningitis, orbital cellulitis, sinusitis.
Metabolic: DM
idiopathic

Question 4

Most common cause in young

Answer 4

Post viral infection (usually bilateral)

Question 5

Patients with optic neuritis come with :

Answer 5

Painful sudden loss of vision:
++ with ocular motility

Reduce perception of color intensity

Question 6

Signs of optic neuritis

Answer 6

Ophthalmoscopy show edema and hypermia of optic disc except for retro-bulbar optic neuritis

Marcus gunn pupil
Red-Green color vision defect
Defect in the visual evoked potential

Question 7

Why we say no one can see in retro-bulbar neuritis

Answer 7

Becuase the patient sees nothing due to central scotoma, and the physician sees nothing (the fundus appears normal)

Question 8

Complications of optic neuritis

Answer 8

Recurrence
Optic nerve atrophy > blindness

Question 9

How to treat

Answer 9

Treat underlying cause 🤦

Severe loss of vision may be treated with high dose of steroids