From Darkness to Light: A Rare Case of Visual Recovery from Absent Light Perception to 20/20 in a Young Girl with Bilateral Optic Neuritis

Abstract

Optic Neuritis is an ophthalmic emergency, characterized by sudden loss of vision, which needs immediate attention. Although steroids are the main stay of treatment, stringent diagnostic measures including an extensive serology workup and neuroimaging need to be done as to ascertain the etiology. This case report describes a young girl with bilateral severe optic neuritis, with denied perception of light in both eyes, and no systemic association. Immediate administration of methylprednisolone is the norm in such cases, and as per Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial, it is usually given for 3 days followed by oral prednisolone. In this patient, intravenous 1gram methylprednisolone was administered for 5 days, and then followed by oral prednisolone. The patient showed an excellent response with a complete recovery of vision to 20/20, which is an extremely rare phenomenon.