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| Definition: | Optic neuritis involves inflammation of the optic nerve, which may cause sudden, partial loss of vision in the affected eye.
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| Causes, incidence, and risk factors: | The cause of optic neuritis is unknown. Sudden inflammation of the optic nerve (the nerve connecting the eye and the brain) leads to swelling and destruction of its outer shell, called the myelin sheath. The inflammation may occasionally be the result of a viral infection or it may be caused by autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Risk factors are related to the possible causes.
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Review Date: 12/22/2002
Reviewed By: Raymond S. Douglas M.D., Ph.D. Department of Ophthalmology, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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