What is compressive optic neuropathy?
What is compressive optic neuropathy?
Compressive optic neuropathy occurs when your optic (vision) nerve has been damaged from compression by tumors – such as meningioma (usually non-cancerous tumor that develops in the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord), pituitary adenoma (non-cancerous tumors in the pituitary gland that don’t grow beyond …
What happens when the optic nerve is compressed?
Optic nerve compression occurs when a mass (like a tumor or a build-up of pus or other fluid) forms in the brain and presses on the optic nerve, causing eye pressure. It may cause vision problems and can lead to blindness.
What causes optical cupping?
OPTIC DISC CUPPING. A hallmark of glaucoma is excavation or enlargement of the optic disc, referred to as cupping. The vast majority of pathologic cupping is caused by glaucoma. Disc cupping in the absence of elevated IOP may be caused by normal-tension glaucoma, which accounts for 20% to 30% of open-angle glaucoma.
Can optic nerve damage be treated?
Unfortunately, once damaged, the optic nerve cannot be repaired since the damage is irreversible. The optic nerve is composed of nerve fibers that do not possess the ability to regenerate on their own. The nerve fibers, if damaged, cannot heal on their own.
What are the signs and symptoms of optic neuropathy?
These symptoms include:
- Seeing flashing or flickering lights when moving the eyes.
- Colors may appear less bold or vivid than they normally do.
- You may lose vision in one eye, either fully or partially.
- Optic neuropathy patients often experience pain in the face and eye socket.
- A general loss of peripheral vision.
Will brain MRI show optic neuritis?
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of the brain and orbits (the eye sockets) with gadolinium contrast may confirm the diagnosis of acute demyelinating optic neuritis.
Can damaged optic nerve be repaired?
Unfortunately, once damaged, the optic nerve cannot be repaired since the damage is irreversible. The optic nerve is composed of nerve fibers that do not possess the ability to regenerate on their own.
Can optic nerve cupping be treated?
If optic nerve perfusion is the main cause of the optic nerve cupping, medical treatment to increase the perfusion pressure will help to minimize further damage. Using medical treatments to lower the IOP will also help to reduce further damage to the optic nerve fibers within the optical disc.
Can you have optical cupping without glaucoma?
Both people with and without optic nerve damage have optic nerve cupping, although those with glaucoma tend to have a greater cup-to-disc ratio. A cup to disc ratio greater than six-tenths is generally considered to be suspicious for glaucoma.
What are the causes of compressive optic neuropathy?
If you have a tumor, inflammation caused by a medical condition like thyroid disease, you are at an increased risk for developing compressive optic neuropathy. Pituitary tumors are one fairly common cause of compressive optic neuropathy.
What are the results of a fundoscopy of the retina?
Fundoscopy typically reveals severe tortuosity, engorgement of retinal veins, deep haemorrhages, cotton wool spots and optic disc swelling.
How is a diagnosis of optic nerve damage made?
Diagnosis. A complete diagnosis is based on optic nerve appearance, tests of visual function (visual field, contrast, color, acuity), identifying the causative factor of the damage, and ruling out other causes for vision loss (such as retinal causes).
What kind of imaging is used for optic neuropathies?
Neuro-imaging of the brain and orbit is essential in many optic neuropathies including demyelinating and compressive. Newer technologies in the evaluation of optic neuropathies include multifocal visual evoked potentials and optic coherence tomography.
