Optic Atrophy

Atrophy of the optic disk which may be congenital or acquired. This condition indicates a deficiency in the number of nerve fibers which arise in the RETINA and converge to form the OPTIC DISK; OPTIC NERVE; OPTIC CHIASM; and optic tracts. GLAUCOMA; ISCHEMIA; inflammation, a chronic elevation of intracranial pressure, toxins, optic nerve compression, and inherited conditions (see OPTIC ATROPHIES, HEREDITARY) are relatively common causes of this condition.

Also Known As:

Networked: 548 relevant articles (9 outcomes, 25 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Disease Context: Research Results

Related Diseases

1.	Glaucoma
2.	Macular Degeneration (Age-Related Maculopathy)
3.	Diabetic Retinopathy (Retinopathy, Diabetic)
4.	Cataract (Cataracts)
5.	Cicatrix (Scar)

Experts

1.	Carelli, Valerio: 8 articles (01/2014 - 10/2004)
2.	Anikster, Yair: 5 articles (11/2015 - 07/2002)
3.	Sahel, José-Alain: 4 articles (06/2014 - 01/2012)
4.	La Morgia, Chiara: 4 articles (01/2014 - 02/2008)
5.	Valentino, Maria Lucia: 4 articles (05/2013 - 02/2008)
6.	Lerman-Sagie, Tally: 3 articles (11/2015 - 04/2011)
7.	Lev, Dorit: 3 articles (11/2015 - 04/2011)
8.	Barboni, Piero: 3 articles (01/2014 - 05/2009)
9.	Good, William V: 3 articles (04/2013 - 12/2012)
10.	Tung, Betty: 3 articles (04/2013 - 12/2012)

Drugs and Biologics

Drugs and Important Biological Agents (IBA) related to Optic Atrophy:

1.	Retinaldehyde (Retinal)IBA 04/01/2000 - "Both study groups did not vary significantly in count of localized retinal nerve fiber layer defects, size of parapapillary atrophy, optic cup depth, steepness of disc cupping, rim/disc area ratio, diameter of retinal arterioles, and frequency and degree of focal retinal arteriole narrowing. " 10/01/2015 - "Retinal pigment epithelial alterations (30 patients) and optic atrophy (3 patients) were seen in the late follow-up. " 08/01/2015 - "On optical coherence tomography, optic atrophy is often associated with reduced average retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, whereas optic nerve swelling is usually associated with increased average retinal nerve fiber layer thickness. " 01/01/2014 - "Typically, LHON is characterized by an acute/subacute loss of central vision associated with impairment of color vision and swelling of retinal nerve fibers followed by optic atrophy. " 01/01/2014 - "Microcystic changes in the retinal internal nuclear layer associated with optic atrophy: a prospective study."
2.	Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)IBA 07/01/2011 - "The findings from the study show that NGF administration may be an effective and safe adjunct therapy in children with optic atrophy due to OGs. "
3.	cerebrolysinIBA 01/01/1995 - "[Cerebrolysin in the treatment of partial optic atrophy in children]." 01/01/1995 - "The purpose of the trial was to investigate efficacy of cerebrolysin in children with partial optic atrophy and to compare different ways of injections of the drug. "
4.	Penicillins (Penicillin)FDA Link 12/01/1960 - "Results of penicillin therapy in syphilitic primary optic atrophy." 05/01/1949 - "Penicillin treatment of syphilitic primary optic atrophy; an interim report." 11/01/1946 - "Progressive syphilitic optic atrophy benefited by combined penicillin and fever therapy; report of a case." 09/01/1953 - "Treatment of syphilitic optic atrophy by penicillin, with and without therapeutic malaria." 03/01/1949 - "The treatment of syphilitic primary optic atrophy with penicillin and with penicillin and malaria."
5.	Acetazolamide (Diamox)FDA LinkGeneric 09/01/2007 - "Medical therapy in PTC with acetazolamide can lead to improvement in visual acuity and optic nerve appearance, although optic atrophy also was seen." 09/01/2007 - "The 2 additional patients with PTC were treated with either low-dose acetazolamide or weight loss therapy and experienced optic atrophy. " 04/01/2009 - "Several medications have been associated with pseudotumor cerebri,(1) including the use of lithium carbonate in the adult population(3) as well as in adolescents.(4) Signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure typically resolve after cessation of lithium carbonate usage.(5) We report a case of the onset of pseudotumor cerebri associated with lithium treatment in a child who sustained long-term optic atrophy and vision loss and required acetazolamide treatment for approximately 1 year after cessation of lithium." 10/22/1999 - "Anticoagulants were used in 41 of 59 patients (69.5%), steroids or acetazolamide in 26 (44%), therapeutic lumbar puncture in 44 (75%), and surgical shunt in 1. Three patients had optic atrophy with severe visual loss, 1 died from carcinomatous meningitis, and 55 (93%) had complete recovery. "
6.	Factor IX (PTC)FDA LinkGeneric 09/01/2007 - "Medical therapy in PTC with acetazolamide can lead to improvement in visual acuity and optic nerve appearance, although optic atrophy also was seen." 09/01/2007 - "The 2 additional patients with PTC were treated with either low-dose acetazolamide or weight loss therapy and experienced optic atrophy. "
7.	Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)IBA 12/01/2014 - "In addition to common primary LHON-associated mutations, our study identified secondary mtDNA mutations, which should be considered when evaluating patients with optic atrophy." 03/01/2013 - "Cybrid studies establish the causal link between the mtDNA m.3890G>A/MT-ND1 mutation and optic atrophy with bilateral brainstem lesions." 03/01/2013 - "These findings establish the pathogenicity of the m.3890G>A/MT-ND1 mutation and remark the link between CI mutations affecting the mtDNA-encoded ND subunits and LHON-like optic atrophy, which may be complicated by bilateral and symmetric lesions affecting the central nervous system. " 01/01/2012 - "The MFN2 gene is responsible for mitochondrial DNA instability and optic atrophy 'plus' phenotype." 07/01/2009 - "We report a patient with a multisystemic disorder and multiple muscle mtDNA deletions, carrying an in-frame deletion in OPA1 in the absence of optic atrophy. "
8.	Ivermectin (Mectizan)FDA Link 07/01/1996 - "Previous studies of up to 3 years of treatment have demonstrated that ivermectin improves anterior segment lesions and reduces the incidence of optic atrophy. " 01/01/1997 - "Our results indicate, for the first time, that ivermectin has a substantial impact on the progression of visual field loss among those with pre-existing optic atrophy." 01/01/1997 - "Previous findings have shown that ivermectin has an impact on the incidence of optic atrophy. " 01/01/1997 - "An analysis restricted to individuals with optic atrophy at baseline indicated a reduction of 45% in the incidence of visual field deterioration in the ivermectin group (95% CI: 8-67%). " 01/01/2012 - "The other community-based study of mass biannual treatment of ivermectin in communities affected by the forest strain of O.volvulus demonstrated reductions in microfilarial load, punctate keratitis and iridocyclitis but not sclerosing keratitis, chorioretinitis, optic atrophy or visual impairment. "
9.	AntioxidantsIBA 01/01/2008 - "This study provides novel insights into the pathogenesis of optic atrophy and demonstrates the promise of antioxidants as therapeutic agents for this condition." 03/01/2005 - "On the other hand, elastin apoptosis and remodeling (correlated with the occurrence of optic atrophy) are particularly influenced by liposoluble antioxidants such as vitamin E. "
10.	Antifibrinolytic Agents (Antifibrinolytics)IBA 01/01/2013 - "corneal bloodstaining, peripheral anterior synechiae, elevated intraocular pressure, and development of optic atrophy) by antifibrinolytics was limited by the small number of these events. " 01/01/2011 - "We found tranexamic acid had a significant effect in reducing the rate of secondary hemorrhage (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.49), as did aminomethylbenzoic acid as reported in a single study (OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.32). The evidence to support an associated reduction in the risk of complications from secondary hemorrhage (i.e., corneal blood staining, peripheral anterior synechiae, elevated intraocular pressure, and development of optic atrophy) by antifibrinolytics was limited by the small number of these events. "

Therapies and Procedures

1.	Decompression 05/01/2015 - "Extradural decompression of the optic nerve resulted in marked visual improvement, with temporal optic atrophy noted postoperatively. " 12/01/2005 - "[The study on the value of the decompression to the optic nerve channel for the optic atrophy patients]." 01/01/2014 - "The timing of decompression remains crucial, and patients should undergo such a procedure early in the disease course before optic atrophy." 04/01/2003 - "Most patients with OP have some degree of optic atrophy and many children with severe forms of autosomal recessive OP are rendered blind; optic decompression is frequently attempted to prevent the latter. " 04/01/1999 - "10 patients with GO and DM were operated for GO; in one of them an optic atrophy developed as a result of a postoperative haemorrhage directly after a three wall orbital decompression by coronal approach. "
2.	Injections 11/01/1923 - "INTRA-CISTERNAL INJECTIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF LUETIC OPTIC ATROPHY." 01/01/1995 - "The purpose of the trial was to investigate efficacy of cerebrolysin in children with partial optic atrophy and to compare different ways of injections of the drug. " 06/01/1932 - "OPTIC ATROPHY AFTER INJECTIONS OF ARSENIC."
3.	Perinatal Care 04/01/2009 - "A promising finding is that the frequency of optic atrophy in the present study was lower than previously reported, most likely reflecting improved perinatal care and better regulation of the intracranial pressure."
4.	Light Coagulation 02/01/1975 - "After photocoagulation in the left fundus, the retinopathy improved to a grade comparable to the influence of the partial optic atrophy upon the course of the diabetic retinopathy in the right eye." 10/01/1999 - "Toxicities included transient periorbital edema in four eyes and optic atrophy in one eye that also received laser photocoagulation and cryotherapy. " 09/01/1977 - "These alterations, which occur in numerous conditions including congenital hemianopia, ocular hypertension and glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, acute Leber optic neuropathy, trauma, severe hypertension, congenital and heredity optic atrophy, toxic amblyopia, papilledema, retinochoroiditis, and following photocoagulation, may be of critical diagnostic importance." 01/01/2011 - "Final follow-up at 7 months showed a visual acuity of 20/30, mild optic atrophy, narrow arteries, healed retinal lesions, and good panretinal photocoagulation. "
5.	Lenses 01/01/1985 - "Fresnel prisms placed on the spectacle lenses of a patient with optic atrophy resulting from an accident eliminated constant diplopia in the remaining visual field. " 12/01/2001 - "Optic atrophy, cataracts, and retinopathy of prematurity were significant etiologies of low vision; however, the largest group of patients had a diagnosis classified as "other." Hand-held telescopes, bifocals/high adds, and tinted lenses were the major low-vision devices prescribed. "