Optic Neuritis as Manifestation of Local Viral Encephalitis (Clinical Observation)

Abstract

In the practice of an ophthalmologist and neurologist, the identification of relationship between optic neuritis and inflammation of the brain tissue is accompanied by significant diagnostic difficulties. In this regard, the role of interdisciplinary consultations is valuable, as an ophthalmologist knows the methods of ophthalmological diagnostics, which allow for topical diagnosis of the brain damage level, but for a neurologist, these methods are inaccessible. A clinical case of herpetic optoencephalitis (descending optic neuritis against the background of local encephalitis) in a teenager with a favorable outcome after conservative treatment is considered in the given paper. Conclusion: It is important to remember that during the optoencephalitis formation, its ophthalmic manifestations can remain not only the manifestation of this focal neurological pathology for a long time, but also require the timely appointment of appropriate routes of administration, doses and duration of etiotropic drugs use, therefore, the utmost diagnostic alertness regarding viral encephalitis (opticoencephalitis) is important at the slightest suspicion of a descending origin of the identified eye tissues inflammation.