Traumatic lesion of the optic nerve.

The problems of therapy are described by comparing a retrospective (17 cases) to a prospective (12 cases) study of cases of traumatic lesions of the optic nerve. Intensive cooperation between specialists and a quick diagnosis facilitate the decision regarding treatment and lead to better results. Indication for surgical treatment-transcranial or transethmoidal approach-should be confined to posttraumatic deterioration of optic nerve function in combination with fractures of the optic canal, and to its deterioration in spite of proper conservative treatment-shock treatment and cortisone infusions-.