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Optic Nerve Atrophy
Parts of the visual system affected
Optic Nerve Atrophy may be congenital or
adventitious. If congenital, it is usually
hereditary. The milder form is autosomal
dominant and has a gradual onset of deterioration
in childhood but little progression thereafter; the
more severe form is autosomal recessive and is
present at birth or within 2 years; this form is
accompanied by nystagmus (rapid “to” and “fro”
movements of the eyes).
The optic nerve carries images of what we see
from the eye to the brain.
Comprehensive description
Optic nerve atrophy is tissue death of the nerve
that carries the information regarding sight from
the eye to the brain.
There are many unrelated causes of optic atrophy.
The most common cause is poor blood flow,
called ischemic optic neuropathy, which most
often affects the elderly.
Effects of the condition on the visual system
Optic nerve atrophy, death of nerve cells within
the optic nerve, affects the optic nerve’s ability
to convey nerve signals from the eye to the brain.
Optic nerve atrophy can be partial or complete;
when complete there is total loss of vision.
conditions of the eye or systemic neurologic
disorders can cause optic nerve atrophy.
Symptoms include diminished visual acuity and
visual field.
Common treatments
Damage from optic nerve atrophy cannot be
reversed. The underlying disease must be found
and treated, if possible, to prevent further loss.
Rarely, conditions that lead to optic atrophy may
be treatable.
ONA cannot be corrected with glasses.
Anticipated functional implications of the
condition
Visual and Behavioral Characteristics
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The optic nerve can also be damaged by shock,
various toxic substances, radiation, and trauma.
Various eye diseases, most commonly glaucoma,
can also cause optic nerve atrophy. In addition,
the condition can be caused by diseases of the
brain and central nervous system, such as cranial
arteritis (sometimes called temporal arteritis),
multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, and stroke.
There are also several rare forms of hereditary
optic nerve atrophy that affect children and
young adults.
Symptoms
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Blurred vision
Abnormal side vision
Abnormal color vision
Poor constriction of the pupil in light
Decreased brightness in one eye relative
to the other
Visual acuity may range from nearly
normal to totally blind.
Children with bilateral central blind
spots (scotomas) may "overlook" in
order to see a person or object.
Children may have difficulty
identifying colors based on their
individual color vision defect.
Enhancing visual function may require high
levels of illumination and enlarged print with
high contrast; magnification may be useful in
some cases. Color perception may be impaired.
Ongoing evaluation and communication among
family, medical and education specialists is
essential to develop the best home and school
program for the child with ONA. Assessment
and services from a pediatric ophthalmologist, a
teacher of the visually impaired, and a specialist
in Orientation and Mobility who keep in close
communication with caregivers will ensure
maximum development for the child.
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Carefully observe a young child with
ONA to gather valuable information
about the way he/she sees best.
Determine the best position for the child
and her toys to accommodate for central
field loss.
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The physical demands of looking at an
object or toy for a long period of time
may cause eye fatigue. Allow a child
with ONA to rest between activities
requiring vision.
Use touch and spoken description to tell
a child about present and future
activities. The use of additional senses
is necessary to enrich the learning
process.
Good contrast and lighting are essential
for the child with ONA to see objects in
the environment clearly. For example,
offering dark colored food on a light
plate, or a light toy against a dark
background provides good contrast.
Using bold colors (red, yellow, green,
blue) and simple, clear pictures will
help the child to see more clearly.
Use familiar and real objects to
encourage visual attention. Change one
characteristic of a familiar object only
after the child is able to recognize it
consistently. For instance, after the
child is able to recognize a cup that is
blue consistently, change the cup to red.
When introducing unfamiliar objects to
the child, relate them to familiar objects
and settings. Note: If a child with ONA
also has Cortical Visual Impairment
(CVI), strategies effective with the CVI
population should be used.
References:
University of Maryland Medical Center.
(Copyright 2011). Retrieved from
http://www.umm.edu/ency/article/0016
22.htm
Beltina.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.beltina.org/healthdictionary/optic-nerve-atrophy-causesdiagnosis-treatment.html
Texas School for the Blind and Visually
Impaired. (2005, October 31). Retrieved
from
http://www.tsbvi.edu/seehear/spring99/
ona.htm
The Special Education Exchange. (Copyright
1996-2011). Retrieved from
http://www.spedex.com/resource/docu
ments/veb/optic_atrophy.html
University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center.
(Copyright 2010). Retrieved from
http://www.kellogg.umich.edu/patientca
re/conditions/optic.atrophy.html
Developed by Jerry Mullins