Optic Nerve Atrophy

What is Optic Nerve Atrophy?

Dr. Ajay Sharma, Chairman & Chief Medical Director, Eye Q super specialty eye hospitals explains…

The optic nerve carries images of what we see coded as electrical impulses, from the retina to our brain. The optic nerve is like a cable of more than a million tiny electrical wires, or nerve fibers each carrying a part of the visual information. If these nerve fibers become damaged, the brain doesn’t get all the vision information and our sight becomes blurred.
Optic nerve atrophy is the loss of some or most of the fibers of the optic nerve. Optic nerve atrophy can be hereditary or acquired. Meningitis is one of the causes for loss of optic nerve. If there is increase in intra-cranial pressure, it results in increased pressure on the optic nerve, which can lead to optic nerve atrophy. There is no cure for optic nerve atrophy because if nerve fibres are lost they can’t be regrown. Early diagnosis is the only way to prevent loss of eyesight. If you experience any of the following symptoms, get an eye exam done.

Symptoms:

• Blurred vision
• Decrease in visual function such as a decrease in sharpness and clarity of vision (visual acuity) or decreases in side (peripheral) vision.
• Decreased brightness in one eye relative to the other

Many causes of optic nerve atrophy cannot be prevented. Facial injuries can be prevented by standard safety precautions, which includes use of seat belt while driving. Methanol is the most common toxin causing optic nerve atrophy. It can be found in home-brewed alcohol. Home-brewed alcohol and forms of alcohol not intended for drinking should never be consumed.

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