Eye and nervous system are anatomically and physiologically very close. About 40% of the nerve fibers in brain are correlated with visual function. Seven of twelve cranial nerves are straightly correlated with visual afferent or eye movement. Neurological diseases can affect eye in many different ways. Furthermore, systemic disorders can cause secondary neurological lesions or even primary neurological disorders, which sequentially show ocular symptoms a nd signs. Better understanding of the close relationship between eye and brain, together with intimate cooperation between ophthalmologists, neurologists, neuro surgeons and other specialties, are the key point to improve our neuro-ophthalm ology service in China. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,2008,24:82-85)
Objective To investigate the etiological distribution of the patients with optic neuritis in China and compare the results with those in western countries. Methods Ophthalmological and neurological detailed clinical and laboratorial examinations were performed on 204 patients with primarily diagnosed optic neuritis (ON). We determined the etiologies using international accepted diagnostic criteria. Results Among 113 patrents with ON, 83(73.5%) were considered as with idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis ( IDON). Sinusitis was common in these patients but was considered to be the probable cause of ON only in 4. Tuberculo-meningitis caused ON was found in 2 cases and syphilitic ON in 1. The causes of 23 cases (20.4%) were unknown. Conclusions Idiopathic demyelinating ON is the most common pathogeny of ON. Despite of some minor differences of causes and prognosis, the etiology of presumed ON in our population is similar to that reported in western countries. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,2006,22:367-369)