Biomaterial Database

Demyelinating optic neuritis: clinical features and differential diagnosis. 1991

D A Francis

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham.

Optic neuritis is a common cause of sudden visual impairment in young adults. Early recognition by the clinician would alleviate much of the anxiety experienced by sufferers, but other conditions that may cause permanent blindness must be excluded. These can usually be discerned from the history and confirmed by a brief neuro-ophthalmological examination.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009902	Optic Neuritis	Inflammation of the optic nerve. Commonly associated conditions include autoimmune disorders such as MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, infections, and granulomatous diseases. Clinical features include retro-orbital pain that is aggravated by eye movement, loss of color vision, and contrast sensitivity that may progress to severe visual loss, an afferent pupillary defect (Marcus-Gunn pupil), and in some instances optic disc hyperemia and swelling. Inflammation may occur in the portion of the nerve within the globe (neuropapillitis or anterior optic neuritis) or the portion behind the globe (retrobulbar neuritis or posterior optic neuritis).	Neuropapillitis,Retrobulbar Neuritis,Anterior Optic Neuritis,Posterior Optic Neuritis,Anterior Optic Neuritides,Neuritides, Anterior Optic,Neuritides, Optic,Neuritides, Posterior Optic,Neuritides, Retrobulbar,Neuritis, Anterior Optic,Neuritis, Optic,Neuritis, Posterior Optic,Neuritis, Retrobulbar,Neuropapillitides,Optic Neuritides,Optic Neuritides, Anterior,Optic Neuritides, Posterior,Optic Neuritis, Anterior,Optic Neuritis, Posterior,Posterior Optic Neuritides,Retrobulbar Neuritides
D012025	Reflex, Pupillary	Constriction of the pupil in response to light stimulation of the retina. It refers also to any reflex involving the iris, with resultant alteration of the diameter of the pupil. (Cline et al., Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed)	Pupillary Reflex
D003118	Color Perception	Mental processing of chromatic signals (COLOR VISION) from the eye by the VISUAL CORTEX where they are converted into symbolic representations. Color perception involves numerous neurons, and is influenced not only by the distribution of wavelengths from the viewed object, but also by its background color and brightness contrast at its boundary.	Color Perceptions,Perception, Color,Perceptions, Color
D003711	Demyelinating Diseases	Diseases characterized by loss or dysfunction of myelin in the central or peripheral nervous system.	Clinically Isolated CNS Demyelinating Syndrome,Clinically Isolated Syndrome, CNS Demyelinating,Demyelinating Disorders,Demyelination,Demyelinating Disease,Demyelinating Disorder,Demyelinations
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D005074	Evoked Potentials, Visual	The electric response evoked in the cerebral cortex by visual stimulation or stimulation of the visual pathways.	Visual Evoked Response,Evoked Potential, Visual,Evoked Response, Visual,Evoked Responses, Visual,Potential, Visual Evoked,Potentials, Visual Evoked,Response, Visual Evoked,Responses, Visual Evoked,Visual Evoked Potential,Visual Evoked Potentials,Visual Evoked Responses
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013256	Steroids	A group of polycyclic compounds closely related biochemically to TERPENES. They include cholesterol, numerous hormones, precursors of certain vitamins, bile acids, alcohols (STEROLS), and certain natural drugs and poisons. Steroids have a common nucleus, a fused, reduced 17-carbon atom ring system, cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene. Most steroids also have two methyl groups and an aliphatic side-chain attached to the nucleus. (From Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, 11th ed)	Steroid,Catatoxic Steroids,Steroids, Catatoxic
D014792	Visual Acuity	Clarity or sharpness of OCULAR VISION or the ability of the eye to see fine details. Visual acuity depends on the functions of RETINA, neuronal transmission, and the interpretative ability of the brain. Normal visual acuity is expressed as 20/20 indicating that one can see at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance. Visual acuity can also be influenced by brightness, color, and contrast.	Acuities, Visual,Acuity, Visual,Visual Acuities
D014794	Visual Fields	The total area or space visible in a person's peripheral vision with the eye looking straightforward.	Field, Visual,Fields, Visual,Visual Field