Optic Nerve Disorders

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• Videos and Tutorials

Research

• Clinical Trials

Resources

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For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

The optic nerve is a bundle of more than 1 million nerve fibers that carry visual messages. You have one connecting the back of each eye (your retina) to your brain. Damage to an optic nerve can cause vision loss. The type of vision loss and how severe it is depends on where the damage occurs. It may affect one or both eyes.

There are many different types of optic nerve disorders, including:

• Glaucoma is a group of diseases that are the leading cause of blindness in the United States. Glaucoma usually happens when the fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises and damages the optic nerve.
• Optic neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve. Causes include infections and immune-related illnesses such as multiple sclerosis. Sometimes the cause is unknown.
• Optic nerve atrophy is damage to the optic nerve. Causes include poor blood flow to the eye, disease, trauma, or exposure to toxic substances.
• Optic nerve head drusen are pockets of protein and calcium salts that build up in the optic nerve over time

Contact your health care provider if you are having vision problems. Tests for optic nerve disorders may include eye exams, ophthalmoscopy (an examination of the back of your eye), and imaging tests. Treatment depends on which disorder that you have. With some optic nerve disorders, you may get your vision back. With others, there is no treatment, or treatment may only prevent further vision loss.

Start Here

• Overview of Optic Nerve Disorders (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Keep Your Vision Healthy: Learn About Comprehensive Dilated Eye Exams (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
• Optic Nerve Imaging (Glaucoma Research Foundation)
• What Is a Comprehensive Dilated Eye Exam? (National Eye Institute) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• How the Build Up of Aqueous Humor Can Damage the Optic Nerve (BrightFocus Foundation)

Specifics

• Coloboma of Optic Nerve (Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center)
• Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (National Eye Institute)
• Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (Pseudotumor Cerebri) (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
• Neuromyelitis Optica (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) Also in Spanish
• Optic Nerve Atrophy (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
• Optic Nerve Drusen (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
• Optic Nerve Pit (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus)
• Septo-Optic Dysplasia (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Toxic Amblyopia (Nutritional Amblyopia) (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: autosomal dominant optic atrophy and cataract (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Costeff syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: deafness-dystonia-optic neuronopathy syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: early-onset glaucoma (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: neuromyelitis optica (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: optic atrophy type 1 (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: renal coloboma syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: septo-optic dysplasia (National Library of Medicine)

Videos and Tutorials

• The Visual System (National Eye Institute)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Optic Nerve Diseases (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Optic Nerve Injuries (National Institutes of Health)

Patient Handouts

• Optic glioma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Optic nerve atrophy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Optic neuritis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish