Unilateral Acute Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy in a Patient with an Already Established Diagnosis of Bilateral Optic Disc Drusen.

Ziya Ayhan,A Osman Saatci,Meltem Söylev Bajin,Aylin Yaman

doi:10.1155/2015/730606

Abstract

Optic disc drusen (ODD) are calcific deposits that form in the optic nerve head secondary to abnormalities in axonal metabolism and degeneration. Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, central retinal artery, and vein occlusion are among the rare vascular complications of disc drusen. We reported the clinical course of a 51-year-old patient with a unilateral acute nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) who received the diagnosis of bilateral optic disc drusen five years earlier and thereby reiterated the association of ODD and acute NAION.

Highlights

Optic disc drusen (ODD) are calcific deposits that form in the optic nerve head secondary to abnormalities in axonal metabolism and degeneration and are found in 0.4 to 3.7% of the population [1, 2]
We report a case of acute nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) in a patient with an already established diagnosis of ODD
It was suggested that a small disk area along with a horizontal shortening of the scleral canal could lead to the crowding of optic nerve fibers, predisposing to a circulatory compromise of the optic nerve head in acute NAION [12,13,14]

Summary

Introduction

Optic disc drusen (ODD) are calcific deposits that form in the optic nerve head secondary to abnormalities in axonal metabolism and degeneration and are found in 0.4 to 3.7% of the population [1, 2]. They may be seen as reflective bodies emanating through the disc or may be buried imitating papilledema [1, 2]. Severe visual impairment can very occasionally develop due to vascular complications such as acute nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), central retinal artery, and vein occlusion in patients with ODD [4,5,6,7,8,9].

Case Report

Findings

Discussion