Why there is a retrobulbar neuritis of the optic nerve

Almost all the tissues of the human body are permeated with nerve fibers, the importance of which can not be overemphasized - it is thanks to them that constant signals are received in our brain about changes in the state of various parts organism. They help us to carry out any kind of activity, informing the brain about the changes that have occurred to the body in relation to the surrounding world. Eyes are no exception - nerve endings permeate the eyeball and go far beyond its limits, transmitting signals to the appropriate parts of the brain. And if pathological changes occur with the nervous tissue, this immediately reflects on visual perception, sometimes in the most severe form.

Definition of disease

Inside the eyeball is the head of the optic nerve, giving rise to more than 1 million. nerve endings that envelop the structure of the eye.

When the optic nerve comes out of the eyeball, its tissue covers several shells at once, preventing its damage.

In the cranial cavity, both optic nerves merge into one, and this site is called chiasmus. When inflammation occurs in nerve fibers, the processes of the following localization can develop:

• Papillitis- lesions inside the eyeball;
• Retrobulbar neuritis- Inflammation of the optic nerve outside the eye;
• Neuroretinitis- a combination of inflammation of the optic nerve and the eye retina.

Retrobulbaric neuritis can occur in acute and chronic form, and the acute form is characteristic only for young people and has more optimistic predictions.

Causes

Usually retrobulbar optic neuritis is a consequence of hidden pathological processes, occurring in the body as a result of exposure to infectious agents or caused by other slow-moving diseases. Lesions of the optic nerve do not arise from nothing, they are usually preceded by:

• Chronic infection with pathogens from the herpes virus group;
• Chronic pathologies of a systemic nature accompanied by inflammation:tonsillitis, sinusitis, pyelonephritis, cystitis, etc. ;
• Infectious inflammations of a general nature in acute form: influenza, tonsillitis, pneumonia, intestinal infections;
• Pathologies of blood and connective tissue;
• Multiple sclerosis;
• Inflammatory pathologies in the eye tissues: iridocyclitis, conjunctivitis, uveitis, chorioretinitis.

Retrobulbaric neuritis can also arise as a complication of chronic pathologies occurring in the body: diabetes, allergies, gout, pathological pregnancy, autoimmune disorders, etc.In a separate group, toxic substances are isolated: toxic substances, alcohol, cigarette smoke.

Among the provoking factors are:

• Age.Most often, pathology occurs in young people in the age group of 20-40 years;
• Sexuality. Women are predisposed to develop the disease 2 times more often than men;
• Genetic mutationsare capable to provoke the beginning of development of a pathology.

Symptoms

When the acute form of the disease develops, the symptoms appear suddenly and "in all its glory

• Sharp decrease in visual acuity;
• The appearance of pain in the movements of the eyeball and even at rest;
• There is a violation in the normal color perception.

If the pathology takes a chronic course, then the symptoms can increase gradually:

• In addition to impaired vision, peripheral vision is reduced;
• The objects begin to lose their outlines and to be seen as if in a fog, simultaneously at the center a blind spot begins to localize;
• In parallel, the general condition worsens: headaches, nausea, an increase in t;
• There may be visual illusions.

A characteristic feature is a worsening of the condition under physical or psychological stress. A timely call to a doctor almost always guarantees a complete cure, and ignoring the symptoms is fraught with serious complications not only in the eye system, but also in the body as a whole.

Possible complications

In most cases (up to 80%) with timely access to a specialist and adequately performed treatment, all the functions of the eye can be restored to 70-80%, i.e., The deterioration of vision takes place within the framework of minor violations of vital functions.

However, in cases of severe disease or ill treatment, serious functional complications may develop:

• Atrophy of the optic nerve- complete or partial destruction of nerve fibers and replacement of their connective tissue. The process can take various forms: partial or complete, progressive or completed, one-sided or two-way;
• Optical Neuropathy- damage to the optic nerve, the main symptom of which is a violation of color perception and color perception. Often the disease develops unilaterally, and before the examination the patient does not suspect the onset of the pathology, until the doctor asks to close one eye.

Pathological conditions in the nervous tissue of the eye can be both a consequence and cause of multiple sclerosis. This is especially common in women. And, of course, partial or complete loss of vision may be the main complications in the development of retrobulbar neuritis.

Treatment

To assess the level of lesions, in addition to visual examination and data collection of anamnesis, a number of laboratory and hardware studies are necessarily carried out:

• General analyzesblood and urine;
• Blood tests for sugar and RV;
• Visometry- study of visual acuity using special tables;
• Perimetry- study of the boundaries of the visual fields with their projection onto the spherical surface;
• Biomicroscopy- examination of the anterior segment of the eye with a slit lamp;
• Ophthalmoscopy- examination of the fundus, optic nerve and retina with a special device;
• NMR scanningorbit and brain.

If necessary, consultations of specialists are appointed: neurologist and therapist.

Medication Therapy

Conservative treatment of retrobulbar neuritis of the eye nerve is quite complex and in most cases is performed in a hospital under the supervision of qualified specialists. Complex therapy may include the following drugs:

• Antibioticsbroad spectrum of action. The exception is drugs that have a toxic effect on nerve fibers (streptomycin, gentamicin);
• CorticosteroidsAre appointed or nominated for putting off or taking out of an edema and a cupping of an inflammation;
• Spasmolytics and vasodilatorsare necessary in the presence of spasm of blood vessels;
• Vitamin Therapy(especially vitamins of group B) is necessary for strengthening the nervous system and mobilizing the body's defenses.

The tactic of choice during treatment depends entirely on the underlying cause of the disease. For example, poisoning focuses on detoxification therapy, and antibiotics are not used.

Surgically

In most cases, treatment is conservative, and surgery is rarely used.

Treatment consists in opening the optic nerve sheath to reduce pressure. The operation is called decompression of the optic nerve shell.

ethnoscience

Means according to folk prescriptions can be used as an additional therapy for long-term treatment (up to a year) of pathology or at the stage of rehabilitation of the disease:

• In a water bath, the following mixture is boiled for an hour: 200 g of pulp of aloe leaves, 50 grams of cornflower grass and eyebrows l red wine, a little honey. The strained syrup is taken three times a day, shortly before meals, at 1 tbsp. l. ;
• To crushed pine cones (100 g) add 25 g of herbs rue fragrant, a glass of sugar, chopped lemon and pour, l of water.The resulting mixture is cooked on low heat for a period of, h, after which filter and take 1 tbsp. l. three times a day before meals;
• Steam milk contains a whole complex of substances necessary for the restoration of eye structures.Such a medicine should be drunk constantly for a long time. Goat's milk has a high therapeutic effect;
• Healthy action has and eye gymnastics: eyes tightly squeezed, and then in turn open and close (10 rubles each). ). After that, rotate the eyes with closed eyelids to the right and left (10 rubles each). );
• Tincture of Schizandra, prepared on alcohol from dried crushed fruits, take 30 drops in the morning and in the evening.For cooking take 2 tbsp. l. fruits and pour alcohol. Insist for a week, and after filtration and push-up hold for another 3 days. The finished medicine should be transparent and have a bright red color;
• Blueberries contain a lot of micronutrients useful for the eyes.It is useful to eat in any form and quantity (within reason);
• A small amount of bee pollen is poured with a few spoons of beet juice, let it brew, add honey and 100 ml of beet juice and drink this cocktail daily.

Treatment according to folk prescriptions can be carried out only after consultation with the attending physician, since any independent effect on the eyes with neuritis can aggravate the situation.

Prevention

Observance of certain preventive measures can not only prevent the appearance of the disease, but also reduce the risk of recurrence of the disease. To do this, you should:

• Timely and fully treat angina, sinusitis, otitis media;
• To hand over for the purposes of prophylaxis blood tests for RV and to undergo a fluorography;
• Do preventive vaccinations;
• Pay special attention to personal hygiene (especially the oral cavity);
• Avoid sudden hypothermia, as a strong provoking factor;
• Strengthen general immunity in all available ways;
• To have in the diet are enough products that provide eye tissues with vitamins and microelements (especially vitamins of group B).

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conclusions

Retrobulbaric optic neuritis is one of the most serious pathological processes, which can occur in the tissues of the eye and often has serious or even irreversible consequences for view.

Successful treatment depends entirely on the timeliness of the diagnosis and the correctness of the treatment, so the independent use of drugs is completely excluded.

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