Optic Nerve Schwannoma: A Report of a Rare Case From India and Literature Review

Optic nerve schwannoma is a very rarely occurring tumor described in the literature. It is due to the fact that the optic nerve is myelinated by oligodendrocytes. Schwannomas are tumors of the peripheral nervous system, hence optic nerve schwannoma is a rare phenomenon. A 34-year-old patient presented in the outpatient department with complaints of gradual painless protrusion of the left eye (LE) for the past one year. There was no history of diminution of vision. On examination, vision in both eyes was 6/6, anterior segment examination in both eyes was normal, and pupils were central, circular, and reacting to light. Intraocular pressure was measured on a noncontact tonometer and was within normal range. Both eyes' optic disc, fundus, and visual fields were normal. On inspection, axial proptosis was noted in the LE. Proptosis measurement (on Hertel exophthalmometer) in the right eye was 17 mm and in the left eye was 21 mm. MRI of the orbit without contrast was done and showed a well-defined, soft tissue lesion of the optic nerve in the intraconal compartment of the left orbit. Surgical excision of the tumor was done by lateral orbitotomy approach and the tumor was removed in total. Histopathological examination of the mass revealed a benign spindle cell neoplasm suggestive of schwannoma. Postoperatively, proptosis was resolved, 17 mm both in the right and left eye (on Hertel exophthalmometer), and vision in LE remained unchanged (6/6). Postoperatively, intraocular pressure (on noncontact tonometer) was within normal range, and the optic disc, fundus, and visual fields were normal.