Results of treatment of optic neuritis

Purpose: to investigate the epidemiological and clinical features of optic neuritis, evaluate the effectiveness of treatment and underlying diseases. Material and Methods. 58 patients (60 eyes) with optic neuritis (ON) were observed. Among them, 54 adults (26 men, 28 women) aged 19-67 years (mean age 36±11.8 years) and 4 children (1 boy, 3 girls) 14-16 years. Along with the standard ophthalmologic examination, electrophysiological studies, visual evoked potentials and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and orbit, and a consultation with a neurologist were conducted. The patients were divided into two groups. In the main group of 32 patients (34 eyes), the complex treatment is carried out according to the developed method, which includes daily administration of 1 % nicotinic acid solution in the age dose (from 1 ml to 6 ml per day) with pentoxifylline on the background of basic ON therapy. In the control group of 26 patients (26 eyes), along with basic therapy of 1% nicotinic acid, 1 ml intramuscularly is prescribed a course of 10-15 days. Results. The number of children of young working age (65.5%), including children (6.9%). In the overwhelming number of cases, intrabulbar neuritis was diagnosed (84.5%). In 8 of 9 patients, the precursor of retrobulbar neuritis (PN) was multiple sclerosis (MS). Among other etiological causes of ON viral infection prevailed (37.9%). In patients prolonged by the proposed method, an improvement in visual functions (increased visual acuity, expansion of the general boundaries of the visual field) was achieved in 91% of cases, including high vision (0.5-1.0) in 65% of cases; in patients of the control group, these indicators correspond to 54% and 23%. Conclusion. The use of nicotinic acid intravenously in age dosage with pentoxifyllone in complexes with basic therapy allows the use of methods of treatment of optical neuritis using etiology and can be recommended for widespread use in practical ophthalmology.