[Differential diagnostic considerations on retrobulbar neuritis]

Retrobulbar neuritis is a frequent diagnosis in patients (age groups 20-40 years), who complain about acute monocular loss of vision, accompanied by painful eye movements. The clinical course with recovery over about six weeks and the possibility of additional neurological dysfunction in the following years confirm the diagnosis of primarily demyelinating disease. Beside the typical retrobulbar neuritis, there is a group of vascular optic nerve disorders as well as Leber's optic neuropathy that need to be differentiated from primary demyelinating retrobulbar neuritis. Compressive optic neuropathies, unilateral chiasm disorders and infiltrative optic neuropathies will not be considered in this paper, because of their subacute presentation.