Definition Nutritional Optic Neuropathy

Nutritional deficiencies affect the whole body so pain or loss of sensation in the arms and legs peripheral neuropathy is often seen in patients with nutritional optic neuropathies.

Definition nutritional optic neuropathy. Nutritional optic neuropathy can affect anyone. These disorders tend to be classified under the heading toxic nutritional optic neuropathy a syndrome characterized by papillomacular bundle damage within the optic nerves central or cecocentral scotoma and reduction of color vision. Most commonly it results from folic acid and vitamin b complex deficiency associated. However it has been described as epidemic during the times of war and or famine.

Toxic and nutritional optic neuropathies both present clinically with symmetric progressive bilateral vision loss decreased color vision central or cecocentral scotomas on formal visual field testing and no relative afferent pupillary defect because of the symmetric nature of optic nerve involvement. A disturbance a patient s ability to perceive color frequently accompanies this gradual vision loss. Nutritional optic neuropathy is characterized by an equal and gradual painless loss of central vision in both eyes caused by either relative or absolute defects in a patient s field of vision. The anterior visual pathway is susceptible to damage from toxins or nutritional deficiency.

There was an epidemic of nutritional optic neuropathy among afflicted allied prisoners of war of the japanese during world war ii. The role of vitamin b12 folic acid and copper deficiencies in nutritional optic neuropathy is well established. Nutritional optic neuropathy is characterized by bilateral symmetric cecocentral scotomas an acquired disturbance of color vision usually dulling of the color red and either a normal fundus morphology or tortuosity of small retinal vessels within the nerve fiber layer. Nutritional optic neuropathy is characterized by painless gradually progressing bilateral and symmetrical decrease in visual acuity which can be accompanied by the color vision dysfunction.

Who gets nutritional optic neuropathy. Nutritional optic neuropathy aka deficiency optic neuropathy is a dysfunction of the optic nerve resulting from improper dietary content of certain nutrients essential for normal functioning of the nerve fibers. The causes of these disorders are various but they are linked by shared signs and symptoms which this article will describe. Nutritional optic neuropathy.

Nutritional optic neuropathy is visual impairment that occurs when nutritional deficiency damages the optic nerve which carries visual information from the eye to the brain.