Optic Nerve Head Changes in Patients with Optic Neuritis Secondary to Multiple Sclerosis: A Comparison of The Affected and Fellow Healthy Eyes

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the thickness of lamina cribrosa (LC) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and the effect of optic neuritis (ON) attack on these measurements during the remission period. Methods The study included 20 cases diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS with a history of ON attacks affecting one eye and in remission of MS and ON attacks for at least three months, and 28 randomly selected eyes of age- and sex-matched healthy controls. In the MS group, the eyes affected by ON attack were assigned as Group 1 (MS+ON), their fellow unaffected eyes as Group 2 (MS-ON), and healthy control eyes as Group 3. The LC, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (ppRNFL), and subfoveal choroidal thickness measurements were made by using OCT in all cases, and results were compared between the groups. Results The mean LC thickness in MS+ON and MS-ON groups was significantly lower than the control group (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between MS+ON and MS-ON groups in terms of mean LC thickness (p=0.073). The mean ppRNFL in the MS+ON and MS-ON groups was statistically significantly lower than the control group (p=0.003, p=0.035, respectively). Conclusions It is noteworthy that LC is significantly affected in eyes with MS who have not had a history of ON attack. Evaluation of the LC measurements can be important for early detection of optic nerve damage in patients with MS.

Retinal Oxygen Metabolism and Haemodynamics in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis and History of Optic Neuritis

“…In this context it needs to be noted that although there was a clear tendency toward a decrease in GCIPL and RNFLT in patients with MS-ON when compared to healthy control subjects, this effect did not reach level of significance. As previously mentioned, larger studies consistently report reduced GCIPL and RNFLT in patients with MS-ON, it is reasonable to suggest that the lack of statistical significance is related to the relatively small sample size of the current study (Oberwahrenbrock et al, 2012;Britze et al, 2017;Alonso et al, 2018;Balci et al, 2020;Farci et al, 2020).…”

Long-term follow-up of choroidal changes following COVID-19 infection: analysis of choroidal thickness and choroidal vascularity index

“…Optic neuritis secondary to COVID-19 is suggested to be a secondary immune reaction and not a direct vascular pathology [25] . Peripapillary RNFL decreases after optic neuritis attacks in other diseases such as multiple sclerosis [26] . The prelaminar region of the optic nerve head is fed by arterioles extending from the peripapillary choroid plexus along with the posterior ciliary arteries [27] .…”

Retinal imaging with optical coherence tomography in multiple sclerosis: novel aspects

“…Other, more unusual parameters, such as the thickness of lamina cribrosa and the Bruch’s membrane opening-minimum rim width, are of no utility for discriminating between patients with and without a history of ON [ 23 , 24 ].…”