Landmark studies in neuro-ophthalmology

@#High-quality clinical evidence, derived from well-designed and implemented clinical trials, serves to advance clinical care and to allow physicians to provide the most effective treatments to their patients. The field of ophthalmology, including the subspecialty of neuro-ophthalmology, abounds with such high-quality clinical trials that provide Level 1 clinical evidence. This review article summarizes the research design, key findings, and clinical relevance of select monumental clinical studies in neuro-ophthalmology with the primary goal of providing the readers with the rationale for current standard of care of various neuro-ophthalmic diseases. This includes the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial, Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Decompression Trial, Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Treatment Trial, Rescue of Hereditary Optic Disease Outpatient Study, and Controlled High-Risk Avonex® Multiple Sclerosis Study

Pseudotumor cerebri: What We Have Learned from the Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Treatment Trial.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension, also known as pseudotumor cerebri, is an unexplained increase in intracranial pressure associated with permanent severe visual loss in 25% of cases and debilitating headaches. The condition is often associated with obesity. The Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension Treatment Trial, a large, randomized, collaborative clinical trial, evaluated the efficacy of acetazolamide with weight loss versus placebo with weight loss in participants. Herein, we describe the major components of the clinical trial and discuss its shortcomings. [Full article available at http://rimed.org/rimedicaljournal-2016-05.asp, free with no login].