Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026
Dynamic Visual Tests to Identify and Quantify Visual Damage and Repair Following Demyelination in Optic Neuritis Patients
Published on: April 14, 2014
Prospective study on retinal nerve fibre layer thickness changes in isolated unilateral retrobulbar optic neuritis
Gordon S K Yau1, Jacky W Y Lee1, Patrick P K Lau2
1Department of Ophthalmology, Caritas Medical Centre, 111 Wing Hong Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Purpose:
To investigate the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness after unilateral acute optic neuritis using optical coherence tomography (OCT).
Patients And Methods:
This prospective cohort study recruited consecutive patients with a first episode of isolated, unilateral acute optic neuritis. RNFL thickness and visual acuity (VA) of the attack and normal fellow eye were measured at presentation and 3 months in both the treatment and nontreatment groups.
Results:
11 subjects received systemic steroids and 9 were treated conservatively. The baseline RNFL thickness was similar in the attack and fellow eye (P ≥ 0.4). At 3 months, the attack eye had a thinner temporal (P = 0.02) and average (P = 0.05) RNFL compared to the fellow eye. At 3 months, the attack eye had significant RNFL thinning in the 4 quadrants and average thickness (P ≤ 0.0002) compared to baseline. The RNFL thickness between the treatment and nontreatment groups was similar at baseline and 3 months (P ≥ 0.1). Treatment offered better VA at 3 months (0.1 ± 0.2 versus 0.3 ± 0.2 LogMAR, P = 0.04).
Conclusion:
Generalized RNFL thinning occurred at 3 months after a first episode of acute optic neuritis most significantly in the temporal quadrant and average thickness. Visual improvement with treatment was independent of RNFL thickness.
