Ischemic optic neuropathy associated with Crohn's disease

A 24-year-old man with Crohn's disease suffered bilateral ischemic optic neuropathy following the resolution of an episode of "uveitis." Additional findings of corneal infiltrates, vitritis, retinovascular sheathing, and arthritis suggest an inflammatory basis for his ischemic optic neuropathy. Vasculitis as an extraintestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease is a possible etiology. To our knowledge, the association of ischemic optic neuropathy and inflammatory bowel disease has not been previously reported.