Optic neuropathy Symptoms, Causes & Surgical

Optic neuropathy, refers to inflammation of the optic nerve, resulting from a damage to the myelin, a protective sheath surrounding the optic nerve, which is vital for a good vision. This damage could lead to loss of vision, inability to distinguish between colors or blindness.

Optic neuropathy can be of three types, these are as below:

• Toxic optic neuropathy, which occurs due to consumption of methyl alcohol, generally used as an antifreeze, solvent, fuel or denaturant for ethyl alcohol. Methyl alcohol can initiate toxic optic neuropathy in less than 48 hours.
• Glaucoma is another form of optic neuropathy that leads to blindness by damaging the optic nerve.
• Ischemic optic neuropathy is caused by a blockage in the blood supply to the optic nerve. Loss of vision may be instant or occur over several days. Loss of vision can range from a small amount to total blindness

Symptoms of Optic Neuropathy

• One of the major symptoms of optic neuropathy is gradual or sudden loss of vision.
• Patients may complaint ipsilateral dyschromatopsia, that is objects may seem less bright and colors may be subdued in the affected eye, as compared to the uninvolved eye.
• People suffering from optic neuropathy might experience visual field loss
• The affected eye might seem swollen.
• Sudden loss of vision or decreased visual acuity.

Diagnosis of Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
This trouble is diagnosed centered upon a mixture of clinical record and examination.

Causes of Optic Neuropathy

Optic neuropathy may be caused by one or more of the following reasons:

• Infections, such as toxoplasmosis which is a parasitic disease.
• Viral infections, such as Ocular herpes which is viral infection in the eye.
• Sinusitis, which refers to, an inflammation of the para-nasal sinuses, which may or may not be as a result of infection, from bacterial, fungal, viral or allergic issues.
• Neurological disorders
• Nutritional deficiency
• Intake of toxins, including alcohol and tobacco
• Blunt force trauma to the head can lead to optic neuropathy and may cause to blindness.
• If you are a patient of a disease, like diabetes or arthritis, you have a higher risk of having some form of optic neuropathy.
• Optic neuropathy, can can also be inherited. If someone in the family has had optic neuropathy, the next generation might be at a higher risk as compared to an individual with no family history of optic neuropathy.

Surgical Cure for Optic Neuropathy