What Is Ischemic Optic Neuropathy?Ischemic optic neuropathy (ION) is when blood does not flow properly to your eye’s optic nerve, eventually causing lasting damage to this nerve. With ION, you suddenly lose your vision in one or both of your eyes.The optic nerve carries signals from your eyes to the brain. Your brain then turns these signals into the images you see. When blood flow to the optic nerve is reduced or blocked, the nerve does not get enough oxygen or nutrition. The optic nerve stops working properly, and eventually dies.ION can affect your central (detail) vision or side (peripheral) visionor both. Because a damaged optic nerve cannot be fixed, any vision loss from ION is usually permanent. Usually, people with severe ION still have some peripheral vision.Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (ION) Causes NAION is caused by a sudden decrease in circulation of blood in the arteries supplying the optic nerve. This can be due to a temporary decrease in blood pressure, caused by a variety of differentfactors. Generally, NAION has less of an impact on visual outcome than the arteritic form (AION).Some of the common diseases and conditions which can put a patient at higher risk for NAION are:
SymptomsIf blood flow to your optic nerve is reduced, your vision will darken for a few seconds or minutes then return to normal. This is called a transient ischemic attack (TIA). This kind of attack can happen before ION begins. If you have TIA symptoms, call your ophthalmologist or primary care doctor right away. Finding and treating the problem as soon as possible can help prevent further vision loss from ION.DiagnosisYour ophthalmologist will do an eye exam to look for warning signs of ION. He or she will dilate (widen) your pupils with eye drops and then check for swelling of the optic nerve and blood vessels in the back of your eye.Your ophthalmologist may also test your side (peripheral) vision and measure the fluid pressure within your eye.TreatmentIf your ION is caused by swelling of arteries in your head (temporal arteritis), your ophthalmologist may have you take steroid (prednisone) pills. This medicine may prevent ION from developing in your other eye.Your doctor may want to treat any other health problems you have that put you at risk for ION. He or she may prescribe medicine for high blood pressure, diabetes, clogged arteries, migraine headaches, or other health problems.There is no treatment to improve vision loss from ION. However, your ophthalmologist may suggest useful materials and ways to help you see with low vision.SOURCE: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-ischemic-optic-neuropathy