AON was first described in 1982. It presents with visual loss and signs of optic nerve dysfunction, such as loss of color vision, afferent pupil defect, and sometimes abnormalities of the optic disc. The clinical features of AON can be variable and present in several unilateral or bilateral forms: * Acute anterior or retrobulbar optic neuritis sometimes associated with pain. * Anterior or retrobulbar ischemic optic neuropathy not associated with pain. * Chronic progressive vision loss that mimics a compressive lesion. The main features that differentiate AON from the more common typical demyelinating optic neuritis is the poor recovery of vision and the chronic or recurrent or bilateral course of AON. Furthermore, the workup for multiple sclerosis including MRI, will be negative. Thus, it may be necessary to diagnose AON after a period of observation, noting the problem is not behaving as expected for demyelinative disease.
Autoimmune optic neuropathy
Toxic and nutritional optic neuropathy
Arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy
Chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuropathy
Ischemic optic neuropathy
Posterior ischemic optic neuropathy
Retinal vasculitis
Autoimmune retinopathy