Neuro Ophthalmology

Neuro ophthalmology is a super speciality that combines neurology and ophthalmology. It diagnoses and manages several complex nervous system problems that affect eye movement, alignment, vision, and pupillary reflexes. If you experience any of these problems, you need neuro ophthalmology treatment.

Dr Anisha Gupta’s extensive expertise as an ophthalmologist allows her to produce early diagnoses and exceptional results.

Different Neuro Ophthalmology Treatments Available

The brain sends signals to every part of your body, ensuring optimal functioning. Thus, when the nervous system gets compromised, you need immediate attention.

The optic nerve may fail due to numerous conditions, each of which have individual neurological causes and symptoms. The following treatments are most commonly offered.

Optic Neuritis Treatment

Optic neuritis refers to an inflammation or swelling that damages the optic nerve. This complication is often the first indication of multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease, causing inflammation and damage to your brain.

You must see an ophthalmologist immediately if you have the following symptoms:

Eye pain especially with eye movement

Central or peripheral vision loss in one eye

Colour perception loss, contrast loss

Seeing flashing or flickering lights

If optic neuritis does not resolve itself, your neuro ophthalmology treatment option is intravenous steroid therapy.

Optic Neuropathy Treatment

Optic neuropathy involves optic nerve damage with a change in blood flow. When arterial inflammation (arteritis, generally associated with giant cell arteritis) blocks blood flow, the condition is arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (AION). If there is no arteritis, it is non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). NAION is seen in hypertensives and diabetic patients.

The symptoms of optic neuropathy include:

Colour vision loss

Eye pain

Eye socket and facial pain

Flashing or flickering lights with eye movement

Losing vision partially or fully in one eye

Peripheral vision loss

There is no neuro ophthalmology treatment to restore vision loss after AION and NAION. However, you can use steroid medication and full systemic evaluation to prevent this from happening in the other eye, and recover as much vision as possible.

Papilledema Treatment

Papilledema refers to the optic nerve swelling due to pressure build-up in or around your brain. It presents the following symptoms:

Blurred vision

Double vision

Complete vision loss

Headaches

Nausea and vomiting

Once diagnosed, the neuro ophthalmology treatment for this disorder depends upon the cause of raised brain pressure. The treatment includes:

Steroid therapy

Weight loss and a diuretic (if benign intracranial hypertension)

Brain surgery and radiation therapy (if brain tumor)

Antibiotics, draining the brain abscess and administering antibiotics (if brain abscess)

After diagnosing papilledema and uncovering the cause, Dr Gupta works with leading neurologists to improve your optic nerve’s health exponentially.

Ocular Myasthenia Gravis

Ocular myasthenia gravis is the breakdown of normal communication between the nerves and your eye muscles. Its symptoms include:

Weakened muscles

Eye fatigue

Eyelid drooping

Double vision

The neuro ophthalmology treatment options for this condition are:

Medications: Cholinesterase inhibitors, corticosteroids, and immune suppressants.

Intravenous therapy: Plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), and monoclonal antibody therapy.

Surgery: Thymectomy (minimally invasive, video-assisted, and robot-assisted options)

Thymus gland tumours often cause ocular myasthenia gravis. Surgically removing it provides immediate improvement and relief.

Neuro Ophthalmology - Dr Anisha Gupta - OPHTHMOLOGIST - 02

Brain Tumours Affecting Vision

Brain tumours may cause optic disc swelling or pressure on the optic nerve. You should meet your ophthalmologist if you experience the following symptoms:

Partial or complete vision loss

Abnormal eye movements

Dry eyes

Facial palsy

Light sensitivity

Abnormal eye movements

The neuro ophthalmology treatments you will undergo include:

Chemotherapy

Stereotactic radiosurgery

Radiosurgery

Radiation therapy

Surgery

Targeted drug therapy

These treatments help remove the tumour, reduce its size or stop its growth, all of which ease pressure on the optic nerve and help restore your vision.

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (Pseudotumor Cerebri) Treatment

Pseudotumor cerebri or idiopathic intracranial hypertension refers to pressure increasing inside your skull for no apparent reason. Its symptoms include:

Back, neck or shoulder pain

Blindness lasting a few seconds

Dizziness, nausea, and vomiting

Double vision

Migraines

Peripheral vision loss

Seeing light flashes

Vision loss

Whooshing sound in your head

While the cause for pseudotumor cerebri remains unknown, it is believed to be a complication with the absorption of cerebrospinal fluid by the bloodstream. As a result, pressure builds and the fluid needs to be drained, or the absorption process needs some help.

Thus, the various neuro ophthalmology treatments available for this condition are:

Diuretics to reduce fluid retention.

Migraine medications

Optic nerve sheath fenestration, allowing excess spinal fluid to escape.

Spinal fluid shunts to drain the excess spinal fluid.

Dr Anisha Gupta works in cognisance with leading neurologists to ensure you get high-quality treatments for your neuro ophthalmological concerns. As a leading ophthalmologist in Delhi, she employs a patient-centric approach in all her procedures to maximise comfort and ensure a successful recovery!

Contact us immediately if you experience any of the symptoms we listed here today!

Neuro Ophthalmology