[Optic nerve drusen and decreasing of visual acuity]

The study of 82 cases with optic disc drusen revealed the following changes of the visual acuity: - normal or slightly lowered visual acuity in 80.5% of cases (66 from 82 cases); - lowered visual acuity (< 0.3) in 19.5% of cases (16 from 82 cases). The lowering of the visual acuity was the consequence of a direct action of the optic disc drusen, of the secondary complications, or also of some associated diseases: amblyopia (2 cases), retinal haemorrhages (4 cases), retinal dystrophies (4 cases), anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (1 case), optic nerve glioma (1 case), macular telangiectasia (1 case), angioid streaks (2 cases). One case didn't show evident causes for the lowering of the visual acuity. Our results lead to the revision of the concept "optic disc drusen--benign anomaly" and impose additional ocular and general investigations.