Bilateral anterior ischemic optic neuropathy following influenza vaccination. 1998

A Kawasaki, and V A Purvin, and R Tang
Midwest Eye Institute, Indianapolis, IN 46280, USA.

Optic neuritis is an occasional complication of vaccination. Visual loss can be unilateral or bilateral, and most patients recover substantially without treatment. The presumptive mechanism is an immune-mediated demyelinating injury of the optic nerve. We report two patients who had permanent visual loss following influenza vaccination. Their pattern of visual loss, segmental optic disc changes, and failure of visual recovery were atypical for demyelinating optic neuritis and reminiscent of a primary ischemic injury to the optic nerve. We speculate that an immune complex-mediated vasculopathy following vaccination can cause anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Clinicians should be aware of this entity because of the less favorable prognosis for visual recovery in these cases.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007252 Influenza Vaccines Vaccines used to prevent infection by viruses in the family ORTHOMYXOVIRIDAE. It includes both killed and attenuated vaccines. The composition of the vaccines is changed each year in response to antigenic shifts and changes in prevalence of influenza virus strains. The flu vaccines may be mono- or multi-valent, which contains one or more ALPHAINFLUENZAVIRUS and BETAINFLUENZAVIRUS strains. Flu Vaccine,Influenzavirus Vaccine,Monovalent Influenza Vaccine,Universal Flu Vaccine,Universal Influenza Vaccine,Flu Vaccines,High-Dose Trivalent Influenza Vaccine,Influenza Vaccine,Influenza Virus Vaccine,Influenza Virus Vaccines,Influenzavirus Vaccines,Intranasal Live-Attenuated Influenza Vaccine,LAIV Vaccine,Monovalent Influenza Vaccines,Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine,Trivalent Influenza Vaccine,Trivalent Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine,Universal Flu Vaccines,Universal Influenza Vaccines,Flu Vaccine, Universal,High Dose Trivalent Influenza Vaccine,Influenza Vaccine, Monovalent,Influenza Vaccine, Quadrivalent,Influenza Vaccine, Trivalent,Influenza Vaccine, Universal,Intranasal Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine,Vaccine, Flu,Vaccine, Influenza,Vaccine, Influenza Virus,Vaccine, Influenzavirus,Vaccine, LAIV,Vaccine, Monovalent Influenza,Vaccine, Quadrivalent Influenza,Vaccine, Trivalent Influenza,Virus Vaccine, Influenza
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009896 Optic Atrophy Atrophy of the optic disk which may be congenital or acquired. This condition indicates a deficiency in the number of nerve fibers which arise in the RETINA and converge to form the OPTIC DISK; OPTIC NERVE; OPTIC CHIASM; and optic tracts. GLAUCOMA; ISCHEMIA; inflammation, a chronic elevation of intracranial pressure, toxins, optic nerve compression, and inherited conditions (see OPTIC ATROPHIES, HEREDITARY) are relatively common causes of this condition. Atrophy, Optic
D009898 Optic Disk The portion of the optic nerve seen in the fundus with the ophthalmoscope. It is formed by the meeting of all the retinal ganglion cell axons as they enter the optic nerve. Blind Spot,Optic Disc,Optic Nerve Head,Optic Papilla,Blind Spots,Disc, Optic,Disk, Optic,Head, Optic Nerve,Nerve Head, Optic,Optic Discs,Optic Disks,Optic Nerve Heads,Optic Papillas,Papilla, Optic,Papillas, Optic,Spot, Blind
D010211 Papilledema Swelling of the OPTIC DISK, usually in association with increased intracranial pressure, characterized by hyperemia, blurring of the disk margins, microhemorrhages, blind spot enlargement, and engorgement of retinal veins. Chronic papilledema may cause OPTIC ATROPHY and visual loss. (Miller et al., Clinical Neuro-Ophthalmology, 4th ed, p175) Choked Disk,Edema of the Optic Disc,Edema of the Optic Disk,Optic Disc Edema,Optic Disk Edema,Optic Papilla Edema,Papillitis, Optic,Decreased Intraocular Pressure-Associated Papilledema,Increased Intracranial Pressure-Associated Papilledema,Optic Nerve Papillitis,Papilledema Associated with Decreased Intraocular Pressure,Papilledema Associated with Increased Intracranial Pressure,Papillitis,Retinal Edema,Choked Disks,Decreased Intraocular Pressure Associated Papilledema,Disk, Choked,Edema, Optic Disc,Edema, Optic Disk,Edema, Optic Papilla,Edema, Retinal,Edemas, Optic Disc,Edemas, Optic Disk,Edemas, Retinal,Increased Intracranial Pressure Associated Papilledema,Optic Papillitis,Papillitis, Optic Nerve,Retinal Edemas
D001766 Blindness The inability to see or the loss or absence of perception of visual stimuli. This condition may be the result of EYE DISEASES; OPTIC NERVE DISEASES; OPTIC CHIASM diseases; or BRAIN DISEASES affecting the VISUAL PATHWAYS or OCCIPITAL LOBE. Amaurosis,Bilateral Blindness,Blindness, Bilateral,Blindness, Legal,Blindness, Monocular,Blindness, Unilateral,Sudden Visual Loss,Unilateral Blindness,Blindness, Acquired,Blindness, Complete,Blindness, Hysterical,Blindness, Transient,Acquired Blindness,Amauroses,Bilateral Blindnesses,Complete Blindness,Hysterical Blindness,Legal Blindness,Monocular Blindness,Sudden Visual Losses,Transient Blindness,Visual Loss, Sudden
D005260 Female Females
D005654 Fundus Oculi The concave interior of the eye, consisting of the retina, the choroid, the sclera, the optic disk, and blood vessels, seen by means of the ophthalmoscope. (Cline et al., Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed) Fundus of the Eye,Ocular Fundus,Fundus, Ocular
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014611 Vaccination Administration of vaccines to stimulate the host's immune response. This includes any preparation intended for active immunological prophylaxis. Immunization, Active,Active Immunization,Active Immunizations,Immunizations, Active,Vaccinations

Related Publications

A Kawasaki, and V A Purvin, and R Tang
April 2023, Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology,
A Kawasaki, and V A Purvin, and R Tang
May 2014, Case reports in ophthalmology,
A Kawasaki, and V A Purvin, and R Tang
October 2011, Optometry (St. Louis, Mo.),
A Kawasaki, and V A Purvin, and R Tang
January 1997, Ophthalmology,
A Kawasaki, and V A Purvin, and R Tang
June 2022, Vaccines,
A Kawasaki, and V A Purvin, and R Tang
March 2024, Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society,
A Kawasaki, and V A Purvin, and R Tang
September 1996, Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society,
A Kawasaki, and V A Purvin, and R Tang
December 2019, Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society,
A Kawasaki, and V A Purvin, and R Tang
September 2004, Journal of neuro-ophthalmology : the official journal of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society,
A Kawasaki, and V A Purvin, and R Tang
March 2010, Clinical ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.),
Copied contents to your clipboard!