Covid-19 induced optic neuritis – A case report

COVID-19 illness is an evolving disorder, and many extrapulmonary manifestations have been reported. With this report, we are highlighting one of the neuro-ophthalmologic complications of Covid-19. We report a case of 16 years old boy who presented with complaints of rapid loss of vision and retroorbital pain in the Right eye during recovery from Covid -19 infection. Clinically, radiologically, CSF, Blood, and all other investigations suggest Probable Covid -19 Right Eye Optic Neuritis. The patient showed remarkable recovery following steroid therapy. This report aims to add a case to the limited literature available on Optic Neuritis following Covid-19 infection.

To study visual and neurological outcome after treatment according to ONTT protocol

To evaluate the visual and neurological outcomes of Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial (ONTT). 40 Patients presenting with optic neuritis were enrolled in this study to analyze the Visual and Neurological outcomes after treatment according to ONTT Protocol, with emphasis on signs of anaemia, protein calorie malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, generalized lymphadenopathy, sinusitis, septic foci. Patients were followed up for three subsequent visits to assess the rate of visual recovery.Maximum patient 35(87.5) treated according to ONTT protocol while 5 (12.5%) treated with oral steroids alone. Maximum 33 eyes (70.2%) attain BCVA > 6/36 after 1st follow-up (with in 1 month) while 10(21.3%) eyes attain BCVA of 6/6 after 1st follow-up. 11 eyes (25.6%) attain BCVA 6/6 after II follow-up. General prognosis for recovery of vision was good and was slightly worse in more severely affected cases in the present series. Pallor of the optic disc and defect of vision did not always correspond–3 eyes which showed temporal of the disc at the end of follow up had a final vision of 6/9 or better in each eye.

Clinical profiles of patients with optic neuritis and papillitis: A prospective study

To analyse the demographics and presenting features of patients presenting with optic neuritis and papillitis. Clinical profiles of 40 patients presenting with optic neuritis and papillitis at a tertiary care center were collected retrospectively and prospectively. Detailed medical and ophthalmic history was taken especially about mode, duration and course of the disease, drug intake, alcoholism, smoking, pregnancy, lactation, convulsions, pyrexia, history suggestive of TB, syphilis, neurological deficit. A comprehensive ophthalmological and neurological evaluation was done for each patient along with radiological work up. Patients were prospectively followed up for an average of three months. Females in the reproductive age group constituted largest number of the patients (61.8%) in the present series. Maximum patients (70%) were between 20-50 years of age. Vision was found to be affected in all the patients at presentation and most of them presented with vision CF or HM (35.4% and 29.25% respectively) while 4 patients had complete loss of vision. Two third (66.7%) of patients reported eye pain at presentation. Abnormal pupillary reaction was found in most patients with the most common being RAPD on swinging flash light which was seen in 85.4%. Equal percentage (39.5%) of patients presented with Blurred Hyperemic (BH) disc and ophthalmoscopically normal appearing disc. Onset and progression of disease was found to be rapid in most cases ranging from few hours to days. Visual recovery post treatment was found to be good with most eyes achieving vision 6/24 or better. Optic neuritis has varied clinical presentations. Most of our patients were young to middle aged females. The most common presenting features were decrease in vision ranging from slight to profound, eye pain and abnormal pupillary reaction. Morphological abnormalities in appearance of optic disc were also found in two third of cases.Rapid progression was noted in almost all cases. Most of the cases achieved a good outcome at the end of follow up period.

Agreement of different OCT scan directions for individual retinal-layer thickness measurements in multiple sclerosis subjects with prior unilateral optic neuritis

The similarities between horizontal and vertical Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) scans for the individual retinal layer thickness measurements in the macula was evaluated. Two volumetric scans (B-scans oriented horizontally and vertically) were performed in 64 multiple sclerosis subjects with history of unilateral optic neuritis and 64 healthy controls. The agreement between the thickness measurements with horizontal and vertical OCT scans was evaluated in 3 groups of eyes: healthy controls, eyes with history of optic neuritis and the fellow eyes. The mean difference in individual layer thickness between the scans was smaller than the instrument’s axial resolution in all 3 groups. The limit of agreement (LoA) varied among the different layers and sectors analyzed and this trend was similar in all the groups. For the inner retinal layers (retinal nerve fiber layer to inner nuclear layer), the inner macular sectors had a larger LoA compared to the corresponding outer sectors. In the outer plexiform and nuclear layers, the central and inner sectors (except inner temporal) had LoA larger than the other sectors and layers. The larger LoA seen for different layers and sectors suggests that the scan direction must be same for the follow-up OCT measurements and in clinical studies.

Bilateral Optic Neuritis Caused by Meningococcal Meningoencephalitis

In this article, we described a case of pathogen-induced bilateral optic neuritis accompanying meningococcal meningoencephalitis in an adolescent male. A 15-year-old boy presented to our emergency room due to progressive severe headache, stiff neck, diffuse extremity pain, fever, and nausea concerning meningoencephalitis. Intravenous ceftriaxone, metamizole, and ondansetron were started immediately. Due to acute autonomic dysregulation and development of petechiae, he was transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit. Next morning, the patient developed severe visual impairment. Investigations revealed elevated C-reactive protein, procalcitonin and leucocyte count, decreased platelet count, and clotting activation. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed increased leucocyte count, protein, and decreased glucose concentration with pathological CSF cytology. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed an increased contrast enhancement in the optic nerve sheath, consistent with acute bilateral optic neuritis. He was started on high-dose intravenous pulse methylprednisolone therapy. After treatment with ceftriaxone und pulse steroids, the patient was discharged in good condition without any visual sequel.