Optic neuritis, also known as retrobulbar neuritis, is inflammation of the optic nerve that prevents the transmission of information from the eye to the brain. This is because the nerve loses the myelin sheath, a layer that lines the nerves and is responsible for the transmission of nerve impulses.
This disease is more common in adults between the ages of 20 and 45, and causes partial, or sometimes total, loss of vision. It usually affects one eye, although it can also affect both eyes, and can also cause eye pain and changes in color identification or perception.
Optic neuritis appears mainly as a manifestation of multiple sclerosis, but it can also be caused by a brain infection, a tumor or by intoxication by heavy metals, such as lead, for example. Recovery usually occurs spontaneously after a few weeks, however, your doctor may also use corticosteroids to help speed recovery in some cases.
Main symptoms
The symptoms of optic neuritis are:
- Loss of vision, which can be partial, but in the most severe cases it can be total, and one or both eyes; Eye pain, which worsens when moving the eye; Loss of the ability to distinguish colors.
Vision loss is usually temporary, however, sequelae may still remain, such as difficulties in identifying colors or having unclear vision. Check for other signs and symptoms of vision problems that are warning signs.
How to identify
The diagnosis of optic neuritis is made by the ophthalmologist, who can perform tests that assess vision and condition of the eyes such as visual campimetry, visual evoked potential, pupillary reflexes or evaluation of the fundus, for example.
In addition, a brain MRI scan may be ordered, which helps to identify brain changes such as those caused by multiple sclerosis or a brain tumor.
What are the causes
Optic neuritis usually arises due to:
- Multiple sclerosis, which is a disease that causes inflammation and loss of the myelin sheath of brain neurons. Check out what it is and how to identify multiple sclerosis; Brain infections, such as meningitis or viral encephalitis, caused by viruses such as chickenpox or herpes, or involvement with tuberculosis, for example; Brain tumor, which can compress the optic nerve; Autoimmune diseases; Graves 'disease, which causes impairment of the eyes called Graves' orbitopathy. Understand how it arises and how to treat this disease; Poisoning by medications, like some antibiotics, or by heavy metals, like lead, arsenic or methanol, for example.
However, in many cases, the cause of optic neuritis is not detected, being called idiopathic optic neuritis.
Treatment for optic neuritis
In many cases, optic neuritis has a spontaneous remission, and signs and symptoms improve without the need for specific treatment.
However, it is always important to follow up with the ophthalmologist and neurologist, who can assess the need to use medications, such as corticosteroids to reduce nerve inflammation, or perform surgery to decompress the optic nerve, which may be necessary in tumor cases, for example.
Although, in some cases, the recovery is complete, it is possible that some sequelae remain, such as difficulty in differentiating colors, changes in the visual field, sensitivity to light or difficulties in evaluating distances, for example.
