Can optic nerve atrophy be treated?

Treatment. Damage from optic nerve atrophy cannot be reversed. The underlying disease must be found and treated. Otherwise, vision loss will continue.

What causes optic atrophy?

Optic atrophy can occur due to damage within the eye (glaucoma, optic neuritis, papilledema, etc.), along the path of the optic nerve to the brain (tumor, neurodegenerative disorder, trauma, etc.), or it can be congenital (Leber’s hereditary optic atrophy, autosomal dominant optic atrophy).

Is optic atrophy progressive?

In the early stages of the condition, individuals with optic atrophy type 1 experience a progressive loss of certain cells within the retina , which is a specialized light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye.

Is optic nerve atrophy serious?

Optic atrophy is not a disease, but rather a sign of a potentially more serious condition. Optic atrophy results from damage to the optic nerve from many different kinds of pathologies. The condition can cause problems with vision, including blindness.

Do people with optic atrophy go blind?

Optic atrophy results from damage to the optic nerve from many different kinds of pathologies. The condition can cause problems with vision, including blindness.

Is optic atrophy a disability?

Optic atrophy-intellectual disability syndrome is a rare, hereditary, syndromic intellectual disability characterized by developmental delay, intellectual disability, and significant visual impairment due to optic nerve atrophy, optic nerve hypoplasia or cerebral visual impairment.

How do I stop my optic nerve from thinning?

Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for optic atrophy. Once the nerve fibers in the optic nerve are lost they never heal or grow back. However, early diagnosis and treatment of the underlying causes of optic atrophy can help prevent further damage from the disease.