Optic Neuritis

What is Optic Neuritis?

Optic nerve refers to the bundle of nerve fibres that carries visual information from your eye to brain. Optic Neuritis is a condition in which your optic nerve gets inflamed causing pain & temporary vision loss. It can flare up all of a sudden due to some infection or nerve disease, mainly multiple sclerosis.

What causes Optic Neuritis?

Researchers have not been able to find the exact cause for Optic Neuritis. However, there are some medical conditions associated with this disease, namely:

• Autoimmune conditions: Multiple sclerosis, Neuromyelitisoptica and Schilder’s disease
• Infections: Mumps, measles, tuberculosis, lyme disease, sinusitis and meningitis
• Drugs: Quinine and some antibiotics

What are the symptoms of Optic Neuritis?

Optic Neuritis usually affects one eye and shows symptoms, such as:

• Eye pain that worsens with eye movements
• Temporary loss of vision in one eye
• Visual field loss Loss of colour vision
• Flashing lights
• Changes in way pupil reacts to bright light

How can Optic Neuritis be treated?

Optic Neuritis requires fast treatment. In some cases, steroids may be given to reduce inflammation in the optic nerve. It might help in speedy vision recovery. If steroids fail to affect, then plasma exchange therapy may help to recover your vision. Infact treatment has heeling results if healed well in first 2 hours.