Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
An Optic Nerve Crush Injury Murine Model to Study Retinal Ganglion Cell Survival
Published on: April 25, 2011
Self-inflicted repetitive optic nerve injury: a case report
M Detry-Morel1, R Philippart, A Boschi
1Department of Ophthalmology, St. Luc University Hospital, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
Purpose:
To describe an obsessive-compulsive patient who developed blindness after self-inflicted repetitive optic nerve injury.
Methods:
Case report.
Results:
A myopic 46-year-old male became blind as a result of intermittent rubbing of his eyes, causing stretching of the optic nerves. Extensive ocular, neurologic and systemic work-ups were negative. Cerebral and orbital MR studies showed severe bilateral optic nerve atrophy. Psychiatric evaluation confirmed obsessive-compulsive personality.
Conclusions:
Self-inflicted optic nerve injury should be included in the differential diagnosis of progressive optic neuropathy in a young adult.
