Unusual increase in the incidence of unilateral Optic Neuritis: Case presentation

Abstract

Optic neuritis presents as an acute or subacute inflammatory episode. Objective: Describe the clinical-epidemiological characteristics in 7 cases with unilateral optic neuritis and evaluate the therapeutic results obtained. Material and method: A series of cases with a diagnosis of unilateral optic neuritis who attended the Neurophthalmology consultation at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana, Cuba, from August 6 to November 16, 2018, from Havana and Matanzas, were studied. An unusual increase in the incidence of NO was recorded in the period analyzed. Results: An unusual increase in the incidence of unilateral optic neuritis was recorded. The average age was 33.5 years. All reported unilateral painless visual loss. Four patients reported general signs and symptoms suggestive of having suffered a respiratory disease of viral origin, between 7 and 15 days before optic neuritis. In the examination carried out, great impairment of visual acuity (≤0.05) and colors (0/21) was found. The centro-caecal scotoma was the most frequent campimetric defect. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in the affected eye showed increased neuroretinal thickness, decreased nerve fiber layer, and ganglion cell damage. Treatment was with intravenous methylprednisolone and B vitamins. Conclusions: An unusual increase in patients with unilateral optic neuritis was observed. The OCT revealed damage to the structures at the level of the retina and the optic nerve. The therapeutic effectiveness was conditioned by the time of evolution of the neuritis.