Bilateral optic neuritis related to chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a condition that mainly affects the peripheral nervous system; however, the central nervous system has also been involved in rare cases. Herein, we describe the case of a 33-year-old man with CIDP who presented with progressively blurred vision and pain with eye movement in both eyes for 1 month. Ocular examination revealed reduced visual acuities of 0.15 (oculus unitas or OU) and unremarkable fundi (OU). Furthermore, bitemporal visual field defects and prolonged visually evoked potentials were evident. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed nothing remarkable along the optic nerve and chiasm. These findings were compatible with the diagnosis of bilateral optic neuritis. The patient's symptoms and visual acuity improved after 5 days of intravenous (IV) corticosteroid pulse therapy, which was subsequently replaced by oral prednisolone therapy with a tapering schedule. The patient's visual acuity returned to 1.0 (OU) 6 months after treatment. However, bilateral optic neuritis recurred in 7 months while the patient was on oral prednisolone and azathioprine. IV corticosteroid pulse therapy was subsequently reinitiated and the patient's visual acuity returned gradually to 1.0 (OU). Bilateral optic neuritis is a rare manifestation of CIDP. It responded well to IV corticosteroid therapy in our case.