Neuro-ophthalmology

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June 16, 2022

Neuro Ophthalmology is a disease related to the neurological problems of the eye. It is well known to us that the human eye captures the visuals it sees and sends signals to the brain to tell what the image is about. Here optic nerve plays a key role as it transmits the visual stimuli and if gets affected might lead to visual impairment and in some cases it might lead to damage that is irreparable.

Types of Neuro Ophthalmic

Below are the conditions related to neuro ophthalmology:

Optic Neuritis: In this condition there is inflammation of the optic nerve observed. There are various reasons – starting from an infection to an autoimmune disorder.

Papilloedema: In this condition, the optic disc (the circular area or point where the optic nerve connects to the retina, behind the eye) gets swollen due to an excessive pressure from inside the skull which may be due to a tumour for example.

Nutritional Optic Neuropathy: In this case, the optic nerve gets damaged due to certain toxic substances found in tobacco & alcohol. This may occur due to low nutrients in the body and deficiency of vitamin B-complex and folic acid.

Diabetic Neuropathy: This condition involves damage to the optic nerve due to the excessive blood sugar or diabetes. As it progresses, the blood supply to the retina stops, leading to loss of vision.

Each of the above condition involves attack on the optic nerve in a different way; the final outcome is eventually the optic nerve’s damage, if it is untreated.

Causes of Neuro Ophthalmic

There are different causes of neuro-ophthalmologic diseases based on the conditions themselves. Some common causes of neuro-ophthalmologic include:

Bacterial and viral infections.
Autoimmune diseases such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis and other chronic conditions.
Certain drugs such quinine and antibiotics.
Cardiovascular diseases such plaque, clots, and other issues with the blood vessels connected to the eye and optic nerve.
Traumatic brain injury such as concussions and other injuries to the brain and head.
Tumors and other obstructions.

Common Symptoms of Neuro Ophthalmology

The typical symptoms observed in neuro-ophthalmological are as below:

Sudden loss or decrease of vision.
Double vision or diplopia.
Sudden transient loss of vision (also known as transient ischemic attack or eye stroke).
Visual hallucinations.
Pupillary abnormalities (sluggish reaction, the difference in size of the pupils).
Intractable headaches.
Sudden difficulties in identifying colours.
Inability to tolerate bright light.
Visual Field Defects.
Squint or strabismus (especially adult onset).