Optic Atrophy
Introduction:
When the optic nerve stops working, it undergoes degeneration. Here is a cross section through the back of the eye where the optic nerve has atrophied. You can clearly see a dip where there should be nerve tissue. This is due to the shriveling up of a bundle of nerve fibers from the optic nerve. This eye would have been completely blind.
Signs and Symptoms:
Depending on what the underlying pathological process is, the symptoms can be quite different. For instance, in a multiple sclerosis patient it may take a number of months or years before a complete optic atrophy develops. Long before the progressive optic atrophy develops, there may have been double vision first because of weakness in the eye muscle coordination.
On the other end of the scale there might be a sudden loss of vision because of a brain tumor that puts pressure from behind the eye onto the optic nerve leading to a sudden reversible optic atrophy. If the tumor is benign and can be neurosurgically removed, part or all of the vision can be recovered provided the neurosurgeons is consulted in time.
Diagnostic Test:
When the physician looks through the ophthalmoscope or examines the eye with the help of the slit lamp, this picture of the fundus with optic atrophy would be seen. This was found in a patient who was blind on that eye from multiple sclerosis.
Treatment:
Unfortunately, if optic atrophy has taken place and the nerve
tissue is lost, nothing can be done to help this patient. However,
if in an acute optic atrophy case the eye pressure is found to
be too high (glaucoma), the eye pressure can be quickly lowered
and the patient may recover some or all of the vision. Similarly,
as already pointed out in the case where a benign tumor puts pressure
from behind onto the eye, removal of the tumor can often restore
most, if not all of the vision.
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