OUTCOME FOLLOWING STEROID THERAPY IN CASES WITH ACUTE OPTIC NEUROPATHY REPORTING TO TERTIARY CARE CENTER

Objectives: The objective of the study was to evaluate the etiological factors in patients of acute optic neuropathy reporting to tertiary care centers and response to steroid therapy in acute optic neuropathy. Methods: All the patients selected were subjected to the detailed ocular examination which included best-corrected visual acuity and fundus examination. After ocular and systemic examination and relevant investigations, the underlying etiological diagnosis of acute optic neuropathy was established after this, they were started on intravenous methylprednisolone followed by oral prednisolone. Results: A total of 30 patients with acute optic neuropathy presented in the tertiary care center during the study period. A visual improvement of more than two lines, after steroid therapy, was observed in 54.5% of cases of traumatic optic neuropathy, 53.8% of cases of optic neuritis, and 33.3% of cases of anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Conclusion: Marked visual recovery and prognosis can be seen in timely managed patients. In traumatic optic neuropathy, steroid therapy should always be considered in diagnosed patients of traumatic optic neuropathy irrespective of the timing of presentation.