NEURO OPHTHALMOLOGY
Neuro-Ophthalmology is a super specialty that merges the fields of neurology & ophthalmology. Neuro-ophthalmologists are responsible for the diagnosis and management of complex systemic diseases of the nervous system that affect vision, eye movements & alignment, as well as pupillary reflexes.
WHEN SHOULD YOU VISIT YOUR NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGIST?
Your eye doctor will usually suggest you visit an expert in Neuro-Ophthalmology after a comprehensive eye examination, in case you need special care. Often, the symptoms that prompt such a referral include those associated with optic nerve disease or diseases of the visual pathway (the nervous system component that connects the eyes to the brain). Other reasons could be the diseases affecting the pupils of the eye, and certain kinds of squint (especially paralytic).
Common Symptoms that Require Attention
The typical symptoms that could signify a neuro-ophthalmological problem include
- Visual hallucinations
- Sudden decrease or loss of vision
- Double vision or diplopia Intractable headaches
- Sudden transient loss of vision (called transient is chemic attack or eye stroke)decrease or loss of vision
- Inability to tolerate bright light
- Sudden onset of difficulties in identifying colors
- Visual Field Defects Squint or strabismus (especially adult onset)
- Pupillary abnormalities (sluggish reaction, the difference in size of the pupils)
TYPES OF EYE DISEASES TREATED BY A NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGIST
The common eye diseases that require attention from a neuro-ophthalmologist include:
It is a condition which presents as a sudden onset loss or decrease in vision due to inflammation of the optic nerve. It can be due to an infection, or an autoimmune response. Optic neuritis is often associated with Multiple Sclerosis(MS).
Papilledema is characterized by the swelling of the optic nerve head (the part of the optic nerve which can directly be seen by your eye doctor during a retinal evaluation) due to increased pressure from inside the brain. It may be due to tumors, infections like meningitis, encephalitis, etc.
The optic nerve may be damaged due to toxic substances found in tobacco & alcohol. In fact, the optic nerve damage is often due to lack of nutrients and deficiency of vitamin B-complex and folic acid as well. These diseases also present as decreased vision.
A misalignment of the eye, especially when sudden in onset, and associated with double vision is often due to paralysis of one or more of the small muscles of the eye, and is called paralytic strabismus. The eye shows limitations of ocular movement as well.
COMMON TESTS FOR DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF NEURO-OPHTHALMOLOGY DISEASES
A comprehensive eye examination is always the mainstay of the disease diagnosis. In addition to this, your doctor will also advise one or more of these special tests to conclude to plan your treatment. These tests include:
- Lumbar puncture
- Diplopia charting
- Orthoptic evaluation
- Evaluation of ocular movements
- Neurological visual fields screening
- Evaluation of contrast sensitivity and color vision
- Optical coherence tomography of the optic nerve head
- Imaging studies including CT scan, MRI and MR venogram
NEURO-OPTHALMOLOGY TREATMENT IN PUNE AT DR. DUDHABHATE NETRALAYA & RETINA CENTRE
We have a dedicated department for neuro-ophthalmology, & our highly experienced doctors make sure that the cause of the problem is identified within a very short period and treated accordingly. Our neurosurgeons in Pune make sure that all the patients get high-quality treatment and are taken good care of by the staff.
We have a dedicated department for neuro-ophthalmology, & our highly experienced doctors make sure that the cause of the problem is identified within a very short period and treated accordingly. Our neurosurgeons in Pune make sure that all the patients get high-quality treatment and are taken good care of by the staff. If you have any questions regarding the treatment or the process carried out by our surgeons, please feel free to get in touch with us. To know more about us & about the treatments we offer, kindly visit Dr. Dudhabhate Netralaya & Retina Centre’s home page.
