A STUDY ON CLINICAL PROFILE AND OUTCOME OF VISUAL PARAMETERS OF OPTIC NEURITIS PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY EYE CARE CENTRE

Abstract

Introduction: Optic neuritis (ON) is the inflammation of the optic nerve secondary to autoimmune, infectious, or inflammatory conditions. Objective: The objective is to study the clinical profile and changes in visual parameters after the treatment of patients with ON. Methods: This prospective interventional research was done at the ophthalmology department of a tertiary eye care center. 36 cases diagnosed with ON have been analyzed, treated, and followed up for 1 year, for the type of clinical presentation, rate of recurrence, and changes in visual parameters. Results: The prevalence rate was bimodal, more common among age groups between 46 and 55 years at 32% and age group 16–25 at 27%. A higher prevalence rate was seen in females in 63% of cases. The bilateral presentation was observed in 18%. 44% of cases presented as retrobulbar neuritis (RBN) whereas 56% were as papillitis. At 1 year follow up Optic disc edema suggestive of papillitis was seen in 17% of cases, normal disc with RBN in 44% and disc pallor in 32% discs. At the final follow-up after 1 year, 75% of patients could read maximum (10/13) color plates, 64% of cases showed standard contrast sensitivity and 47% showed normal visual field. VA of 6/60 or worse at presentation was seen in 53% cases and <6/12 in (84%) cases which improved to better than 6/12 in 58% cases and better than 6/60 in 67% cases at final follow up at 1 year. The most common visual field abnormality at presentation was generalized field constriction in (34%), central or centrocecal scotoma in (18%), hemianopia or quadrantanopia (12%), and enlarged blind spot in (06%) cases. During the final follow-up at 1 year, 22 cases (61%) showed normal field. Visual Field could not be tested in (30%) at presentation as vision was <3/60, although visual evoked potential was abnormal in all of 36 (100%) cases with mean P 100 latency being 128 ms. Furthermore, 3 (8%) cases demonstrated additional neurological symptoms till the final follow-up and were subsequently identified to be multiple sclerosis (MS). Recurrence rate was 08 (22%) within 1 year follow-up, of which 06 (17%) cases were clinically RBN and 02 (05%) were papillitis. Conclusion: In our study, findings of clinical profile and visual outcomes of ON patients were different from that of Western studies as well as from those done previously in the Indian population, notably lesser prevalence of MS, although other differences were not very significant.