Table of Contents
Characteristics of optic nerve damage
Causes of optic nerve damage
1. Autoimmune & inflammatory diseases
2. Infection
3. Drugs & poisons
4. Other causes
Treatment of optic nerve damage
1. Administration of anti-inflammatory drugs (steroids) via infusion (IV)
2. Address the causes or underlying factors
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—
Eyes are
organs
vision in humans and animals that function to see.The human eye is connected to several important nerves.The main nerve is the optic nerve (nervus opticus) which functions to carry visual information from the retina to the brain.
Don’t ignore it if you suddenly feel it
eyes
pain and blurred vision, because this could be a signature of damage to the optic nerve.
Because it has a very important function, we should keep our eyes healthy and function well.However, it is not uncommon for these nerves to be damaged for one reason or another.
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When the optic nerve is damaged, the sufferer experiences many things.One of them is that the eyes feel more painful.For more details, see the characteristics of eye nerve damage, causes and treatment following.
Characteristics of optic nerve damage
Launching from
Mayo Clinic
, eye nerve damage or optic neuritis occurs when inflammation damages the optic nerve, which is a collection of nerve fibers that transmits visual information from the eyes to the brain.
Symptoms include pain when moving the eye and temporary loss of vision in one eye.
Optic neuritis can be an early sign of multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease that causes inflammation and nerve damage in the brain and optic nerve.
This condition can also occur as a result of infection or autoimmune diseases such as lupus, and rarely is caused by neuromyelitis optica, which affects the optic nerve and spinal cord.
Most sufferers recover without treatment, although steroid drugs are sometimes used to speed vision recovery.
Usually, the characteristics of people suffering from this disease are:
Eye pain: occurs in more than 90% of cases and usually worsens when the eyes are moved.
Decreased visual acuity: makes vision appear less clear or blurry.
Loss of part of the visual field: usually in the center of vision.
Decreased color perception (dyschromatopsia): especially red.
Causes of optic nerve damage
According
Cleveland Clinic
, there are many things that cause optic nerve damage, such as:
1. Autoimmune & inflammatory diseases
The immune system will attack the body’s own tissues, including the optic nerve.For typical types of optic nerve damage, it usually occurs due to Multiple Sclerosis (MS).Meanwhile, for the atypical type, it usually occurs due to Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO).
2. Infection
Infection can damage the optic nerve directly or trigger an immune reaction.Infections can occur due to viruses (chickenpox, herpes, HIV, measles, etc.), bacteria (cat scratches, tuberculosis, or syphilis), fungi, and parasites (toxo from cats or dogs).
3. Drugs & poisons
Some substances in drugs can also cause damage to the optic nerve (optic neuropathy), such as infectious drugs, heart drugs, malaria drugs, cancer drugs, tobacco, alcohol or methanol.
4. Other causes
There are also various other causes that can make a person suffer from eye nerve damage, such as lack of blood flow, vitamin B12 deficiency, tumors, or uncontrolled type 2 diabetes.
Treatment of optic nerve damage
So, what should you do if you experience eye nerve damage?The first thing to do if the symptoms do not go away is to visit a doctor.
Later, the doctor will carry out treatment with one or two main approaches:
1. Administration of anti-inflammatory drugs (steroids) via infusion (IV)
The goal is to reduce inflammation so that damage to the optic nerve does not get worse, so that pain is reduced and vision improves.
Usually a high dose of IV or oral steroid is given for 3-5 days, then followed by a lower dose of oral steroid which is taken gradually until the dose is reduced slowly according to the doctor’s instructions.
2. Address the causes or underlying factors
Treatment varies depending on the cause.For example, antibiotics if caused by a bacterial infection, or plasma therapy (plasma exchange / PLEX) to suppress immune system activity if an autoimmune disease such as NMO or MOGAD is found.
Treatment options can vary depending on each patient’s condition.Therefore, an ophthalmologist or related medical professional is the best person to explain therapy options, side effects, and risks and benefits.
These are the various characteristics of eye nerve damage along with the causes and treatment.Hope it is useful.
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