New advances of basic research on non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy / 中华实验眼科杂志

Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is an optic neuropathy that usually occurs in people over 50 years old.The pathogenesis of NAION remains unknown, and there is no recognized effective treatment.The animal model of NAION established by photodynamic method has similar fundus and electrophysiological changes to clinical NAION.In recent years, studies on the pathological mechanisms of NAION based on animal models have found that axonal structure destruction, demyelination and inflammatory cells infiltration in the region of optic nerve infarction, accompanied by secondary retinal ganglion cells apoptosis.There are a wide range of drugs for NAION based on animal models, including glucocorticoids, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, prostaglandin J2, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, neurotrophic factors, effective drugs for glaucoma or central nervous system damage, etc.Routes of administration include systemic administration, intravitreal injection or topical application of eye drops.The neuroprotective effects of some drugs in animal models provide a basis for clinical screening of new therapeutic drugs.In this review, the animal models of NAION, pathophysiology and treatment based on animal models were summarized.

Screening and diagnostic system construction for optic neuritis and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy based on color fundus images using deep learning / 中华眼底病杂志

Objective:To construct and evaluate a screening and diagnostic system based on color fundus images and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted screening for optic neuritis (ON) and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).Methods:A diagnostic test study. From 2016 to 2020, 178 cases 267 eyes of NAION patients (NAION group) and 204 cases 346 eyes of ON patients (ON group) were examined and diagnosed in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University; 513 healthy individuals of 1 160 eyes (the normal control group) with normal fundus by visual acuity, intraocular pressure and optical coherence tomography examination were collected from 2018 to 2020. All 2 909 color fundus images were as the data set of the screening and diagnosis system, including 730, 805, and 1 374 images for the NAION group, ON group, and normal control group, respectively. The correctly labeled color fundus images were used as input data, and the EfficientNet-B0 algorithm was selected for model training and validation. Finally, three systems for screening abnormal optic discs, ON, and NAION were constructed. The subject operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under the ROC (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and heat map were used as indicators of diagnostic efficacy.Results:In the test data set, the AUC for diagnosing the presence of an abnormal optic disc, the presence of ON, and the presence of NAION were 0.967 [95% confidence interval ( CI) 0.947-0.980], 0.964 (95% CI 0.938-0.979), and 0.979 (95% CI 0.958-0.989), respectively. The activation area of the systems were mainly located in the optic disc area in the decision-making process. Conclusion:Abnormal optic disc, ON and NAION, and screening diagnostic systems based on color fundus images have shown accurate and efficient diagnostic performance.

Bilateral sequential non-arteritic optic neuropathy post-COVID-19

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID?19) has been documented to have a spectrum of neuro?ophthalmic manifestations. However, bilateral non?arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) post?COVID?19 has not been reported in the literature. We studied the case of a 45?year?old male who presented to our outpatient department (OPD) with bilateral blurring of vision following an episode of COVID?19, 1 month back. Examination and investigations were conclusive of a bilateral NAION. The patient was given a trial of oral steroids. However, the vision loss could not be recovered. Thus, through this case report, we would like to highlight the importance of a close follow?up of patients following COVID?19 infection to detect any sequelae

Efficacy of Dexamethasone intravitreal implant in treating non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM: To explore the therapeutic effects and safety of dexamethasone intravitreal implant(DEX)on non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy(NAION), and responses to the different course of disease.<p>METHODS: Totally 70 patients(70 eyes)in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University diagnosed with NAION from January 2018 to December 2020 were obtained retrospectively as combination treatment group and routine treatment group. 35 patients(35 eyes)in each group received usual care(methylprednisolne pluse therapy, microcirculation improvement and neurotrophic treatment), and combination treatment group also received a dexamethasone intravitreal implant. The best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), mean damage(MD)and pattern standard deviation(PSD)of the visual field, mean thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)and intraocular pressure(IOP)were compared between the two groups, and two groups with a different course of disease before and 3mo after treatment.<p>RESULTS: BCVA and MD improved in both groups at 3mo after treatment(<i>P</i><0.05). The PSD in the combination treatment group was not significantly different before and after treatment(<i>P</i>>0.05). The PSD at 3mo after treatment in the routine treatment group was worse than before treatment(<i>P</i><0.05). BCVA, MD, and PSD in the combination treatment group had better improvement than in the routine treatment group at 3mo after treatment(<i>P</i><0.05). Visual acuity improvement rate in the combination treatment group was higher than in the routine treatment group at 3mo after treatment(<i>P</i><0.05). There was no obvious difference in RNFL thickness between the two groups(<i>P</i>>0.05). BCVA, PSD and effective rate in the combination treatment group had better improvement than in the routine treatment group in disease course ≤ 15d at 3mo after treatment(<i>P</i><0.05), and no apparent difference in the group of disease course > 15d(<i>P</i>>0.05). There was a mild and controllable increase in IOP in the combination treatment group compared to routine treatment group.<p>CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone intravitreal implant can promote BCVA and the recovery of visual function for the long term. It is deemed safe and effective in treating NAION, with better therapeutic effects within 2wk after onset.

Current progress in the treatment of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#Nonarterial anterior ischemic optic neuropathy(NAION)is a group of common optic nerve diseases that seriously endanger visual function. It is resulted from insufficient perfusion of the posterior ciliary artery, which causes acute ischemia, structural and functional disorders of the optic nerve, and ultimately leads to hypopsia and even vision loss. The etiology and pathogenesis of this disease is complex. It is nowadays considered that multiple factors including local anatomy, risk of systemic vascular cause this disease together, which result in no clear, unified and recognized treatment. Early detection, diagnosis and treatment are of great significance in the prognosis of NAION. Possible therapeutic methods include etiological treatment, drug therapy, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)treatment, combined medication, optic nerve sheath decompression, adjuvant treatments and exosomes. With the continuous development and application of various anti-NAION drugs in recent years, a variety of therapeutic methods have been proposed, especially with the exosomes as the research focus. In order to better treat NAION with improvement of the cure rate and guidance for clinical work, this paper mainly reviews the progress in the treatment of NAION in recent years.

Identification of key genes in nonarteritic anteriorischemic optic neuropathy through weighted gene co-expression network analysis / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: We sought to identify key genes related to nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy(NAION)and provide bioinformatics support for elucidating the pathogenesis of NAION.METHODS: Based on rat GSE43671 dataset, which was acquired from GEO, we identified modular genes with highly correlated clinical phenotype by WGCNA package in the R language. Then Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)analysis were performed with ClusterProfiler package. In addition, Cytoscape was used to screen potential key genes and establish miRNA-key genes network.RESULTS: There were 22 modules identified from the GSE43671 dataset by the WGCNA method, among which the blue module has the highest correlation coefficient. GO enrichment analysis suggested that the genes in the module mainly manifest in the epithelial tube morphogenesis and other biological processes, receptor complex and other cell components, and structural constituent of eye lens and other molecular functions. KEGG suggested that the genes in the module mainly relate to signaling pathways including neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, human papillomavirus, MAPK and PI3K/Akt. There were 10 key genes screened by PPI network and Cytoscape including Psmb9, Psma7, Map3k14, Psme1, Nfkb1, Rela, Psma5, Relb, Psmb4 and Nfkb2, and 6 miRNA were predicted as miR-383-5p, miR-9a-5p, miR-155-5p, miR-223-3p, miR-495 and miR-325-3p.CONCLUSION: Using the WGCNA method to screen out the relevant pathways, key genes, and microRNA for NAION, it provides a theoretical basis for exploring pathogenesis and treatment methods of NAION, however, more animal and cell experiments are needed to further validate.

Research progress of intravitreal injections for nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy / 中华实验眼科杂志

Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is a common type of acute optic neuropathy in elderly, characterized by optic disc edema and visual field defect.At present, there is no generally accepted treatment, and the treatment of NAION is to control systemic disease and other risk factors, reduce optic disc edema, nurture nerve and improve microcirculation.In recent years, intravitreal drug injection has been used as a new therapy of NAION.It can make drug reach the target issue in the eye rapidly and maintain a relatively high concentration, which can enhance the efficacy without causing severe systemic complication.In this article, the effect of intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, triamcinolone acetonide, and erythropoietin in NAION was reviewed.

Clinical effect analysis of intraocular pressure intervention in patients with NAION / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM: To observe the improvement of ocular hemodynamics before and after intraocular pressure(IOP)intervention in patients with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy(NAION).<p>METHODS: Retrospective case series. Totally 92 patients(92 eyes)with NAION were admitted to the Department of Ophthalmology, Xi'an Fourth Hospital from July 2012 to September 2018. Forty-six patients received only basic treatment without IOP lowering treatment as the conventional treatment group. The other 46 patients were treated with brinzolamide eye drops combined with brimonidine eye drops to lower IOP on the basis of conventional treatment, as the IOP intervention group. Before and after treatment, the blood flow rate of the ophthalmic artery and central retinal artery were measured by color Doppler ultrasound. The IOP, best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), mean visual field defect(MD), retinal nerve fiber layer thickness(RNFLT), ophthalmic artery and central retinal artery peak systolic blood velocity(PSV), end-diastolic blood velocity(EDV), pulse index(PI)and resistance index(RI)were compared.<p>RESULTS: Before treatment, there were no significant differences in IOP, BCVA(LogMAR), MD, RNFLT, PSV, EDV, PI and RI between the two groups(<i>P</i>>0.05). After 14d of treatment, IOP, BCVA(LogMAR), MD and RNFLT of the two groups were significantly improved compared with those before treatment(<i>P</i><0.05), and the improvement effect of IOP intervention group was better, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(<i>P</i><0.05). The PSV, EDV, PI of ophthalmic artery and central retinal artery in the two groups were increased compared with those before treatment, and RI was decreased compared with before treatment; and the changes of PSV, EDV, RI, PI of ophthalmic artery and PSV, EDV, RI of central retinal artery in the IOP intervention group were more significant than those in the conventional treatment group(<i>P</i><0.05). <p>CONCLUSION: IOP intervention can significantly improve the ocular hemodynamic indexes and improve the visual acuity of patients with NAION.

Molecular pathologic mechanism associated with ischemic optic neuropathy / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy(NAION)is caused by ischemia of the short posterior ciliary artery that supplies the lamina area of the optic disc. It usually occurs in over 50-year-old people. It is acute optic neuropathy and featured with acute, monocular, and painless vision loss, which frequently results in severe permanent vision damage and visual field defects. This disease is attracting increased attention of clinical researchers. This paper overviews the current molecular pathology of NAION from these aspects, including pathogenesis, pathological changes, relevant protein molecules and susceptibility genes in previous studies. This paper lays a theoretical foundation for future research on the pathological mechanism and the treatment of NAION.

The Function of the Fellow Eye in Patients with Unilateral Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy

PURPOSE: To investigate the function of the fellow eye in patients with unilateral nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). METHODS: From 2009 to March 2018, 18 patients with NAION who underwent bilateral visual field examinations and follow-up visits at least two times were enrolled in this study. Initial visual acuity, final visual acuity, degree of visual field defects, the cup-disc (C/D) ratio of the fellow eye, and the presence or absence of cardiovascular disease was retrospectively analyzed using medical records. RESULTS: The fellow eye mean best-corrected visual acuity was 0.03 ± 0.53 (logMAR) and the mean visual field defect was −4.68 ± 3.65 dB in 18 eyes of patients with unilateral NAION (p = 0.007 and p = 0.001, respectively). The C/D ratios were divided into two groups: > 0.3 and < 0.3. The visual field defect was improved significantly from −4.92 dB to −2.37 dB in the group with optic disc ratios < 0.3 (p = 0.013). When the changes in visual field defects were analyzed according to the presence or absence of cardiovascular disease, the visual field defects were improved from −5.65 dB to −4.49 dB in patients with cardiovascular disease, and improved from −3.69 dB to −1.46 dB in patients without cardiovascular disease (p = 0.025 and p = 0.021, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with unilateral NAION, reduced function in the fellow eye may appear temporarily, so a visual field examination should be performed in both eyes. The possibility of incipient NAION should be considered in patients with visual field abnormalities in the fellow eye.

Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Associated with Giant-Cell Arteritis in Korean Patients: A Retrospective Single-Center Analysis and Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to report the relative incidence of arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AAION) associated with giant-cell arteritis (GCA) in a single-center and evaluate the clinical features of AAION in Korean patients. METHODS: The medical records of patients with presumed AION who visited our hospital from January 2013 to August 2018 were examined retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups: AAION associated with GCA, and non AION (NAION). We additionally reviewed the literature and identified all cases of AAION in Korean and Caucasian patients. We evaluated the clinical data including the initial and final best-corrected visual acuities, fundus photographs, visual field tests, fluorescein angiography, and contrast-enhanced MRI, and compared the data with those for Caucasian patients in the literature. RESULTS: Of the 142 patients with presumed AION, 3 (2.1%) were diagnosed with AAION and 139 (97.9%) were diagnosed with NAION. Seven Korean patients with AAION associated with GCA were identified in our data and the literature review. We found no difference in any clinical features other than laterality: four of the seven Korean patients had bilateral involvement. Moreover, the optic nerve sheath was enhanced in two of our Korean patients. CONCLUSIONS: AAION associated with GCA is a very rare condition compared to NAION in Korea. However, GCA should be considered in all cases of ischemic optic neuropathy because AAION is associated with poor visual outcome, and sometimes presents bilaterally.

Acupuncture of intraorbital and extraorbital acupoints reduces apoptosis of retinal ganglion by down-regulating expression of Caspase-3 and ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 in rabbits with nonarteritis anterior ischemic optic neuropathy / 针刺研究

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture of intraorbital and extraorbital acupoints on apoptosis and expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 proteins of retinal ganglion tissue in rabbits with nonarteritis anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), so as to reveal its mechanism underlying improvement of NAION. METHODS: Female New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into four groups: model, intraocular needling (ION), extraocular needling (EON), ION＋EON groups (n＝5 per group), and the 5 healthy eyes of those rabbits in the model group were selected to be used as the control group. The NAION model of the right eye was established by photodynamic stroke method. For ION group, acupoints "Jingming" (BL1), "Chengqi" (ST1) and "Qiuhou" (EX-HN7) were needled, and for EON group, "Cuanzhu" (BL2), "Yuyao" (EX-HN4) and "Qiaoming" (EX) were needled with filiform needles, followed by retaining the needles for 30 min. For ION＋EON group, the 6 acupoints were needled simutaneously. The treatment was conducted once daily for 3 days. The apoptosis of retinal ganglion tissue was detected by using TUNEL fluorescence labeling, and the expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and active Caspase-3 in the retinal ganglion were detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Following modeling and compared with the control group, the number of the apoptotic cells, and the expression levels of Bax and Caspase-3 proteins, as well as the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 were significantly increased in the model group (P0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture of intraorbital and extraorbital acupoints can reduce apoptosis of retinal ganglion in NAION rabbits via inhibiting the activation of Caspase-3 protein and ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, and up-regulating the expression of Bcl-2 protein.

Clinical analysis of Salvia ligustrazine injection on non-arteriti anterior ischemic optic neuropathy / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM: To study the effect and mechanism of salvia ligustrazine on non-arteriti anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.<p>METHODS: A total of 60 cases of non-arteriti anterior ischemic optic neuropathy were randomly divided into two groups. The control group(<i>n</i>=30 cases)was treated with oral prednisone acetate tablets and injection of compound anisodine. The experimental group(<i>n</i>=30 cases)was the same to the control group and added intravenous salvia ligustrazine, the period of treatment was 14d. The levels of IL-1β and TNF-α were detected by ELISA, and the protein expression levels of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 were detected by Western blot. <p>RESULTS: The best corrected visual acuity was improved in both groups. The plasma levels of IL-1β and TNF-α were significantly lowed in the experimental group than the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(<i>P</i><0.05). The protein expression of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 in the two groups were different from those before treatment(<i>P</i><0.05), and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(<i>P</i><0.05). <p>CONCLUSION: Salvia ligustrazine promotes the recovery of visual function by reducing the level of inflammation and inhibiting cell apoptosis in body.

Analysis of cardiovascular risk factors and visual function in nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM: To investigate the effect of cardiovascular risk factors on the occurrence of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy(NAION)and visual functions of the patients.<p>METHODS: Sixty-eight patients diagnosed as initial ipsilateral NAION(68 eyes)in NAION group and another 68 patients(68 eyes)matched in age, gender and systemic diseases in Control group were selected from June 2014 to June 2016 were enrolled in this study and evaluated for their levels of homocysteine(Hcy), blood lipids, folic acid and vitamin B12, as well as carotid Doppler ultrasonography. The visual functions were also examined in patients with NAION.<p>RESULTS: The levels of Hcy(24.8±13.9μmol/L), total plasma cholesterol(4.5±1.0mmol/L), triglyceride(2.0±0.9 mmol/L)and low-density lipoprotein(2.9±0.8mmol/L)in NAION patients were significantly higher(<i>P</i><0.05)than those in Control group(11.1±8.2μmol/L, 3.8±0.7mmol/L, 1.5±0.5mmol/L and 2.3±0.5mmol/L)while the level of vitamin B12 decreased significantly(315.6 ±214.5pg/mL, <i>P</i><0.05)in NAION group in comparison with those(467.9±198.2pg/mL)in Control group. However, no significant differences in the artery resistance and inner diameter of the internal carotid were detected between the two groups. The mean deviation(MD)of the visual field was 16.6±7.5dB in NAION group. The levels of Hcy, vitamin B12, folic acid and blood lipid and the presence of systemic diseases were not the risk factors for the visual field damage in NAION patients. MD value was associated with the amplitude and peak latency of P100 waves.<p>CONCLUSION: Hyperhomocysteinemia, hyperlipidemia and low vitamin B12 are the risk factors of in NAION patients. These risk factors, however, are not related to the extent of visual field damage. To some extent, the amplitude and peak latency of visual evoked potentials can reflect the extent of visual field damage.

Correlation between homocysteine and anterior ischemic optic neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM: To investigate the relationship between serum homocysteine(Hcy)and anterior ischemic optic neuropathy(AION)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.<p>METHODS: One hundred patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who treated in Hebei Eye Hospital from January 2016 to April 2019 were divided into two groups: group A(<i>n</i>=53)without AION, group B(<i>n</i>=47)with AION. Thirty-eight healthy volunteers were used as control group(group C). The serum levels of Hcy, triglyceride cholesterol(TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), creatinine(Cr), gycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c), blood pressure, best corrected visual acuity were detected. To analyze the correlation between serum Hcy level and the clinical indicators in AION in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.<p>RESULTS: The level of Hcy in group B was significantly higher than that in group A and group C \〖(13.87±5.02)μmol/L ratio(11.83±3.49)μmol/L, and(11.06±3.62)μmol/L, all <i>P</i><0.05\〗.The group B HHcy incidence(36.2%)was significantly higher than that in group A(11.3%)and group C(10.5%).The level of Hcy was positively correlated with HbA1c(<i>r</i>=0.517, <i>P</i>=0.001)and negatively correlated with BCVA(<i>r</i>=-0.353, <i>P</i>=0.026)after adjustment for age, TG, LDL-C, Cr, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and course of diabetes mellitus.<p>CONCLUSION: The level of Hcy in serum may be involved in the pathogenesis of AION in type 2 diabetic patients. Hcy may be a potential target for preventing and treating AION in type 2 diabetic patients.

Optical coherence tomography angiography in acute unilateral nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: A comparison with the fellow eye and with eyes with papilledema

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to detect the optic nerve head (ONH) and peripapillary perfusion in eyes with acute nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) compared to the fellow normal eyes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and to compare with nonischemic disc edema (papilledema). Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients with unilateral NAION who underwent OCTA was performed. All patients underwent comprehensive ocular examination including visual field testing. ONH was imaged using 6 mm � 6 mm scan by Topcon DRI Triton� OCT system. Vascularity loss was analyzed using ImageJ software in diseased eyes in comparison to normal fellow eyes and eyes with papilledema. Results: Twenty-one patients (15 males, 6 females) with unilateral NAION and 9 patients (18 eyes) with papilledema were included in the study. In eyes with NAION, two distinct patterns of loss of vasculature were noted � (a) diffuse loss of microvasculature cuff and vascular network around the optic disc in all the patients (100%) and (b) additional area of sectoral loss of vasculature extending from the disc in 12 of the 21 eyes (57.14%). All 18 eyes with papilledema showed loss of the microvasculature cuff; however, none showed the focal pattern of vascular defect. The mean area of the peripapillary vascular zone in eyes with NAION was significantly lesser than that in normals. Of the 12 eyes with NAION with focal loss of vasculature, 11 correlated with visual field defects (91.6%). Conclusion: Deficient peripapillary choroidal vasculature is present in NAION and has a different pattern than in nonischemic disc edema and can cause corresponding visual field deficits.

Bilateral Delayed Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Neuropathy Following Acute Primary Angle-closure Crisis

PURPOSE: We report a case of bilateral nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) following acute angle-closure crisis (AACC). CASE SUMMARY: A 76-year-old female visited our clinic because of a 1-day history of ocular pain and vision loss in both eyes. The visual acuity was 0.02 in both eyes and her intraocular pressure (IOP) was 52 mmHg in the right eye (RE) and 50 mmHg in the left eye (LE). She had corneal edema and a shallow anterior chamber in both eyes, with 4 mm fixed dilated pupils. After decreasing the IOP with intravenous mannitol, laser iridotomy was performed. However, 2 days later, visual acuity was further reduced to finger counting at 10 cm RE and at 50 cm LE, and her optic disc was swollen. Bilateral NAION following AACC was diagnosed. One month later, visual acuity slightly improved to 0.02 RE and 0.04 LE, and the optic disc edema resolved. A small cup-disc ratio, optic disc pallor, and atrophy were observed. Humphrey visual fields demonstrated superior and inferior altitudial visual field defects in the LE, and almost total scotoma in the RE. CONCLUSIONS: AACC can be a predisposing factor for NAION, so the relative afferent pupillary defect, papilledema, and presentation of other risk factors are important clues to a diagnosis of NAION.

Bilateral optic neuropathy related to severe anemia in a patient with alcoholic cirrhosis: A case report and review of the literature

Anemia appears frequently in patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD) but has never been linked to bilateral nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). A 65-year-old woman with a medical history of alcoholic cirrhosis was admitted for bilateral NAION. On admission, she was found to have a low arterial pressure and severe normocytic anemia (48 g/L). The anemia was related to chronic bleeding due to antral gastritis along with other factors associated with ALD. The applied treatment consisted of urgent transfusion followed by high doses of proton-pump inhibitors, iron and vitamin supplementation, and support in lifestyle measures. Her hemoglobin levels remained stable after 2 years but the patient still suffered from visual loss. This case highlights the link between anemia and bilateral NAION in ALD patients. The optic nerve head is prone to infarction in this context due to the vascularization characteristics of ALD. Hemoglobin levels should be monitored in ALD patients to avoid the severe complication of NAION.

Progress on treatment of anterior ischemic optic neuropathy / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy( AION )is the most common acute optic neuropathy in people over 50 years old, which often causes unilateral acute painless visual loss. Non-arteritis anterior ischemic optic neuropathy(NAION)is the most common type and one of the main causes of blindness or severe visual impairment in the middle-aged and elderly. But at present, because of insufficient understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease, there is still no effective treatment method in clinic. Therefore, it is very important to find a standard and effective treatment method in order to control the disease development and reduce blindness.