Optic Neuritis: What You Should Know

Optic neuritis is the inflammation of the optic nerve which transmits information from the eye to the brain. This condition can be caused by multiple systemic factors and can lead to a sudden decrease in vision.
 

Importance of the Optic Nerve

The optic nerve is the primary transmission of sensory information including vision from the eyes to the brain. This nerve is important in all processing of vision including color vision, fine detail, and peripheral vision. Without the optic nerve, there is no vision in the eye. This is known as total blindness or “no light perception.”
 

How Inflammation Affects the Optic Nerve

The optic nerve is susceptible to inflammation from multiple causes. When the optic nerve becomes inflamed, it can swell and become elevated. Additionally, the blood vessels around the optic nerve will be impacted by the inflammation and swelling. As the nerve swells, it can cause areas of the nerve to get compressed and lead to damage.
 

Symptoms of Optic Neuritis

Optic neuritis occurs when the optic nerve is inflamed. The symptoms experienced are from the damage that the inflammation inflicts on the optic nerve and the surrounding tissue. Optic neuritis may cause a dramatic loss of vision or areas of blind spots, it may impact color vision, or it can cause pain with eye movement. Since the optic nerve is responsible for vision and color vision, if one or both eyes are impacted by optic neuritis, there may be a loss of these functions. Optic neuritis causes swelling and inflammation around the optic nerve. The optic nerve is at the back of the eye and within the orbit of skull bones. The muscles for eye movements all surround the eyeball and pass through the orbit of skull bones around the optic nerve. When the optic nerve becomes inflamed and swollen, these muscles can get pinched with eye movements and cause pain. 
 

Causes of Optic Neuritis

The most common cause of optic neuritis is multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis may already be diagnosed, or a new diagnosis of multiple sclerosis can sometimes be made after a case of optic neuritis. Other potential causes of optic neuritis include a nutritional deficiency, an infection like Lyme disease, neurological conditions, as a side effect of medication, or it can occur without a known cause. 
 

Treatments for Optic Neuritis

Optic neuritis is treated with anti-inflammatory medications including oral or IV steroids. However, additional treatment is often indicated based on the underlying cause of the optic neuritis. Optic neuritis is not treated using any form of eye drops as the optic nerve is in the back of the eye and the medication will not be able to get to the needed area if dropped on the eye. Instead, oral steroids, IV steroids, or steroid injections within the eyes may be used to allow the medication to reach the optic nerve and reduce the inflammation. 
 

Prognosis with Optic Neuritis

While severe cases of optic neuritis can cause vision loss and blind spots in the vision, most cases will not cause irreversible damage. With the appropriate treatment in a timely manner, the symptoms of optic neuritis can be fully resolved, and all vision returned. 

Our eye doctor at The Optical Centre in Longmont, CO excels in prescription of glasses, contact lenses and the diagnosis of a variety of eye diseases. Call our optometrist at 303-772-6650 or schedule an eye exam appointment online if you would like to learn more about optic neuritis. Our eye doctor, Dr. Erica Whitmire provides the highest quality optometry services and eye exams in Longmont, Colorado and its surrounding areas.