Early onset optic neuritis following measles-rubella vaccination.

PURPOSE: To report two cases of optic neuritis with onset less than 24 hours following measles-rubella (MR) vaccination.

CASE REPORT: Two teenage patients developed acute optic neuritis 6 to 7 hours after MR booster vaccination. The first patient demonstrated bilateral papillitis and severe visual loss but improved significantly with pulse intravenous steroid therapy with methylprednisolone 500 mg/day. The second patient had unilateral retrobulbar optic neuritis and demonstrated excellent visual recovery without intervention.

CONCLUSION

Acute optic neuritis is a rare complication of MR vaccination and may occur early after immunization.