Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 19, 2025
14:54
Rat Model of Photochemically-Induced Posterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
Published on: November 29, 2015
8.9K
Anticoagulation for Radiation-Induced Optic Neuropathy.
Narayanaswamy Venketasubramanian1, Kong Yong Goh2, Paul T Chew3
1Raffles Neuroscience Centre, Raffles Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Case Reports in Neurology
|January 28, 2021
Summary
Radiation-induced optic neuropathy (RION) treatment remains challenging. This study suggests anticoagulation therapy with warfarin may improve visual fields in RION patients, warranting further clinical trials.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neurology
- Oncology
Background:
- Radiation-induced optic neuropathy (RION) is a severe radiotherapy complication with no effective treatment.
- Nasopharyngeal carcinoma radiotherapy can lead to RION, impacting visual acuity.
- Current management for RION is limited, necessitating novel therapeutic approaches.
Observation:
- Three patients (60, 34, 45 years) developed progressive vision loss years after nasopharyngeal carcinoma radiotherapy.
- Ophthalmological exams revealed pupillary defects and visual field deficits.
- Patients received significant radiation doses (56.11–70.15 Gy) over 6–7 weeks.
Findings:
- Initiation of anticoagulation with heparin and warfarin within two months of symptom onset.
- All patients demonstrated visual field improvement within two weeks of treatment.
- Visual fields remained stable for at least two years during continuous warfarin therapy.
Implications:
- Anticoagulation therapy shows promise for improving visual outcomes in RION.
- These findings suggest a potential new treatment avenue for radiation-induced optic neuropathy.
- Further validation through randomized controlled clinical trials is essential to confirm efficacy.
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