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Updated: Mar 17, 2026
Dynamic Visual Tests to Identify and Quantify Visual Damage and Repair Following Demyelination in Optic Neuritis Patients
Published on: April 14, 2014
Recovery from optic neuritis attack in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and multiple sclerosis
Hiroki Masuda1, Masahiro Mori1, Akiyuki Uzawa1
1Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1, Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
Background:
Both neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOsd) and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients experience optic neuritis (ON) attacks characterized by rapidly reduced best-correct visual acuity (BCVA) and slow recovery. Prognosis and effects of recurrence on recovery may differ between disorders but remain unclear.
Objective:
To compare ON severity, time and degree of recovery and effects of previous ON between NMOsd and MS patients.
Methods:
Retrospective chart review was performed. BCVA measurements acquired before ON, at nadir and during recovery were retrospectively reviewed. Records were obtained on 69 ON attacks in 36 NMOsd patients and 43 attacks in 28 MS patients, including first episodes and recurrences.
Results:
NMOsd patients exhibited significantly lower BCVA values at all time points after attack (P<0.05), reached nadir earlier (P=0.014) and regained a smaller fraction of baseline BCVA than MS patients (P<0.001). In NMOsd, relapsed ON resulted in worse recovery and tended to reach nadir earlier than first-episode ON (P=0.030 and 0.059, respectively). In MS, relapsed ON also reached nadir earlier (P=0.042); however, there was no difference in recovery.
Conclusions:
Recovery from ON was poorer in NMOsd than in MS and was negatively affected by previous ON attacks.
