Management of optic neuritis.

To improve understanding and effectiveness of therapy in optic nerve disease, various causes of so-called optic neuritis should be identified when possible. The clinical characteristics of demyelinating optic neuropathy can be contrasted with those of ischemic optic neuropathy, nutritional optic neuropathy, true optic nerve inflammation (e.g., luetic), optic nerve infiltration with tumor, and compression neuropathy caused by adjacent tumor. Radiologic studies and other means of investigating patients with optic neuritis are reviewed. Arguments in favor of, and against, treatment of presumed demyelinating optic neuritis are presented along with representative corticosteroid treatment regimens. The natural tendency toward spontaneous improvement of optic neuritis makes the effect of treatment difficult to assess.