II. Epidemiology
- Young patients predominate (esp. age 20 to 45 years old)
III. Pathophysiology
- Immune-mediated inflammatory demyelination of the Optic Nerve
- Demyelination results in Retinal Ganglion cell axon degeneration
IV. Causes
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Encephalomyelitis
- Posterior Uveitis
- Optic Nerve vascular lesions
- Tumor
- Optic Nerve glioma
- Neurofibromatosis
- Meningioma
- Fungal infections
- Medications
V. Risk Factors
- Multiple Sclerosis
- White Race
- Female Gender
- Age 20 to 45 years old
VI. Associated Conditions
-
Multiple Sclerosis
- Optic Neuritis is the presenting finding in 15-20% of Multiple Sclerosis (overal seen in 50% of MS cases)
VII. Symptoms
- Pain behind affected eye is variably present
- Worse with eye movement
- Central Vision Loss
- Loss of color Vision
- Impaired Vision develops over hours to days
- Affects one or both eyes
- Rarely results in total blindness
- Acuity often worse than 20/100
VIII. Signs
- Unilateral optic disc swelling and blurring of the disc margin
- Optic Nerve pallor, hyperemia or Papillitis present (Papilledema)
- Optic disc may appear normal in Retrobulbar Optic Neuropathy
- Pupil light reflex abnormal
- Provocative maneuvers
- Extraocular Movement painful
- Pressure on globe painful
- Decreased Visual Acuity amd Visual Field Deficits
IX. Labs: Cerebrospinal Fluid
- WBC: Normal or 10-20 WBC present
- Oligoclonal bands may be present
X. Imaging
-
Brain MRI and Orbit MRI with gadolinium contrast
- Confirm acute demyelinating Optic Neuritis
- Identify concurrent CNS findings suggestive of Multiple Sclerosis (e.g. periventricular white matter deficits)
XI. Management
- Hospital admit
- IV Glucocorticoids
- Methylprednisolone 250 mg IV every 6 hours for 3 days
- Reduces chance of future MS
XII. Course
- 30-50% develop Multiple Sclerosis within 15 years
XIII. References
- Yanoff (1999) Ophthalmology, Mosby, p. 6.2-6.4
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Related Studies
| Definition (NCI) | A disorder characterized by inflammation of the optic nerve. Causes include autoimmune disorders, infections, toxins, drugs, and multiple sclerosis. It may manifest with acute loss of vision and pain. |
| Definition (MSH) | Inflammation of the optic nerve. Commonly associated conditions include autoimmune disorders such as MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, infections, and granulomatous diseases. Clinical features include retro-orbital pain that is aggravated by eye movement, loss of color vision, and contrast sensitivity that may progress to severe visual loss, an afferent pupillary defect (Marcus-Gunn pupil), and in some instances optic disc hyperemia and swelling. Inflammation may occur in the portion of the nerve within the globe (neuropapillitis or anterior optic neuritis) or the portion behind the globe (retrobulbar neuritis or posterior optic neuritis). |
| Definition (CSP) | inflammation of the second cranial nerve or optic nerve; commonly associated conditions include autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis, infections, and granulomatous diseases. |
| Concepts | Disease or Syndrome (T047) |
| MSH | D009902 |
| ICD9 | 377.30, 377.3 |
| ICD10 | H46 , H46.9 |
| SnomedCT | 194051001, 267743006, 194052008, 155189007, 194054009, 66760008 |
| English | Neuritides, Optic, Optic Neuritides, Optic Neuritis, Neuritis, Optic, OPTIC NEURITIS, Optic neuritis NOS, Optic neuritis, unspecified, optic neuritis (diagnosis), optic neuritis, Neuritis optic, Unspecified optic neuritis, Optic Neuritis [Disease/Finding], neuritis optic, Neuritis;optic, Unspecified optic neuritis (disorder), Optic neuritis NOS (disorder), Optic nerve inflamed, Optic nerve inflammation, Optic neuritis, ON - Optic neuritis, Optic neuritis (disorder), inflammation; nerve, optic, inflammation; optic nerve, n.opticus; inflammation, neuritis; optic, optic nerve; inflammation, optic; neuritis, Optic neuritis, NOS, Optic neuritis [dup] (disorder) |
| French | NEVRITE OPTIQUE, Névrite optique SAI, Névrite optique, non précisée, Névrite optique |
| Spanish | NEURITIS OPTICA, Neuritis óptica NEOM, Neuritis óptica no especificada, neuritis óptica no especificada, neuritis óptica [dup] (trastorno), neuritis óptica, SAI, neuritis óptica, SAI (trastorno), neuritis óptica no especificada (trastorno), neuritis óptica (trastorno), neuritis óptica, Neuritis óptica, Neuritis Óptica |
| German | OPTIKUSNEURITIS, Neuritis optica NNB, Optikusneuritis, unspezifisch, Neuritis optica, Optikusneuritis |
| Dutch | opticus neuritis NAO, neuritis optica, niet-gespecificeerde opticus neuritis, n.opticus; ontsteking, neuritis; optica, ontsteking; nervus, opticus, ontsteking; oogzenuw, oogzenuw; ontsteking, optica; neuritis, opticus neuritis, Neuritis optica |
| Italian | Neurite ottica, non specificata, Neurite ottica NAS, Neurite ottica, Nevrite ottica |
| Portuguese | Nevrite óptica NE, Neurite óptica NE, Nevrite óptica, NEVRITE OPTICA, Papilite Ocular, Neurite óptica, Neurite Óptica |
| Japanese | 視神経炎、詳細不明, 視神経炎ＮＯＳ, ｼｼﾝｹｲｴﾝ, ｼｼﾝｹｲｴﾝNOS, ｼｼﾝｹｲｴﾝｼｮｳｻｲﾌﾒｲ, 視神経炎 |
| Swedish | Synnervsinflammation |
| Czech | nervus opticus - neuritida, Neuritida zrakového nervu, Neuritida optiku NOS, Neuritida optiku, blíže neurčená, Optická neuritida, neuritida optiku, zánět zrakového nervu |
| Finnish | Näköhermon tulehdus |
| Russian | OPTICHESKII NEVRIT, RETROBUL'BARNYI NEVRIT, ZRITEL'NOGO NERVA NEVRIT, NEIROPAPILLIT, NEVRIT OPTICHESKII, ЗРИТЕЛЬНОГО НЕРВА НЕВРИТ, НЕВРИТ ОПТИЧЕСКИЙ, ОПТИЧЕСКИЙ НЕВРИТ, РЕТРОБУЛЬБАРНЫЙ НЕВРИТ, НЕЙРОПАПИЛЛИТ |
| Korean | 시신경염 |
| Croatian | OPTIČKI NEURITIS |
| Polish | Zapalenie nerwu wzrokowego |
| Hungarian | Opticus neuritis, Optikus neuritis k.m.n., Optikus neuritis, Optikus neuritis, nem meghatározott |
| Norwegian | Neuritis optica, Optisk nevritt, Optikusnevritt, Synsnervebetennelse |
Ontology: Retrobulbar Neuritis (C0085582)
| Concepts | Disease or Syndrome (T047) |
| MSH | D009902 |
| ICD10 | H46.1 |
| SnomedCT | 267743006, 155189007, 230507009 |
| English | RETROBULBAR NEURITIS, Neuritides, Retrobulbar, Neuritis, Retrobulbar, Retrobulbar Neuritides, Retrobulbar Neuritis, retrobulbar neuritis, retrobulbar neuritis (diagnosis), Optic neuritis retrobulbar, Retro-bulbar neuritis, Neuritis retrobulbar, Neuritides, Posterior Optic, Neuritis, Posterior Optic, Optic Neuritides, Posterior, Optic Neuritis, Posterior, Posterior Optic Neuritides, Posterior Optic Neuritis, Retrobulbar neuritis NOS, neuritis retrobulbar, optic neuritis retrobulbar, retrobulbar optic neuritis, Retrobulbar neuritis, RBN - Retrobulbar neuritis, Retrobulbar neuritis (disorder), neuritis; optic, retrobulbar, optic; neuritis, retrobulbar |
| Portuguese | Neurite Retrobulbar, NEURITE RETROBULBAR, Nevrite retrobulbar, Nevrite óptica retrobulbar |
| Spanish | Neuritis Retrobulbar, NEURITIS RETROBULBAR, Neuritis retrobulbar, Neuritis óptica retrobulbar, neuritis retrobulbar (trastorno), neuritis retrobulbar |
| French | Névrite optique rétrobulbaire, NEVRITE RETROBULBAIRE, Névrite optique rétro-bulbaire, Névrite rétro-bulbaire, Névrite optique postérieure, Névrite rétrobulbaire |
| German | Retrobulbärneuritis, RETROBULBAERNEURITIS, retrobulbaere Neuritis, Neuritis optica retrobulbaris |
| Dutch | retrobulbair neuritis, opticus neuritis retrobulbair, retrobulbaire neuritis, neuritis retrobulbair, neuritis; optica, retrobulbaris, optica; neuritis, retrobulbaris, Retrobulbaire neuritis |
| Czech | Retrobulbární neuritida, Optická retrobulbární neuritida, retrobulbární neuritida, zánět očního nervu |
| Japanese | ｷｭｳｺﾞｼｼﾝｹｲｴﾝ, 球後視神経炎 |
| Hungarian | Neuritis retrobulbaris, Retrobulbaris optikus neuritis |
| Italian | Neurite retrobulbare, Neurite ottica retrobulbare, Neurite ottica posteriore |
| Norwegian | Neuritis optica retrobulbaris, Retrobulbær nevritt, Bakre synsnerve-betennelse |
