Neuro Ophthalmologists at Prabha Eye Clinic treat patients who have reduced vision, blind spot owing to disorders of the optic nerve and its connections to the brain, subnormal vision.
Neuro Ophthalmology Specialist:
- Dr. Praveen R Murthy
- Dr. Krishna R Murthy
- Dr. Geethanjali CJ
They also evaluate and treat any condition in which there may be a brain abnormality causing a disturbance of vision, misalignment of the eyes, or abnormal eye movements.
Our specialists also provide evaluation of focal dystonia, blepharospasm and hemi facial spasm, as well as botulinum toxin treatments for these conditions.
Optic Neuritis
Optic neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve. The optic nerve allows you to see by carrying images from your retina to your brain. The optic nerve resembles that of electrical wires or nerve fibers. Each wire carries a part of the visual information to the brain. If some or all of the nerve fibers become inflamed and do not function properly, vision becomes blurred. With optic neuritis, the optic nerve becomes swollen and the nerve fibers do not work properly. Vision can range from near normal to very poor depending on the number of inflamed nerve fibers.
Symptoms
- Blurred vision in one or both eyes (especially after exercising or taking a hot bath).
- Dim vision (as if the lights were turned down).
- Abnormal color vision (dull and faded colors).
- Pain behind the eye, particularly when moving the eyes.
The symptoms described above may not necessarily mean that you have optic neuritis. However, if you experience one or more of these symptoms, contact your eye doctor for a complete exam.
Treatment
Optic neuritis usually occurs suddenly. If you experience any of the symptoms listed above, call your ophthalmologist. By looking in the back of your eye with an instrument called the ophthalmoscope, ophthalmologist can see any optic nerve swelling. Optic neuritis may be confused with other causes of poor vision. Other tests such as color vision, side vision, and the reaction of the pupil to light may be performed. Ultrasound or magnetic scanning or visual brainwave recordings may be needed.
Optic Atrophy
Optic Atrophy means the loss of some or most of the nerve fibers in the optic nerve. (Resulting in severe visual loss). Many diseases and disorders can lead to optic atrophy or damage to one or both optic nerves. Optic atrophy can occur in people where the optic nerve or nerves did not develop properly. It may also result from inflammation of the optic nerve or from glaucoma when the pressure inside the eye remains too high. In unusual cases, poisons, vitamin deficiencies, or tumors may be responsible. Most commonly, optic atrophy simply occurs without a known or proven cause.
Symptoms
- Blurred vision.
- Abnormal side vision.
- Abnormal color vision.
- Poor constriction of the pupil in light
- Decreased brightness in one eye relative to the other.
The symptoms described above may not necessarily mean that you have optic neuritis. However, if you experience one or more of these symptoms, contact your eye doctor for a complete exam.
Treatment
The optic nerve enters the back of the eye where it appears as a small disc, which your ophthalmologist can examine by looking through the pupil of your eye with a special instrument called an ophthalmoscope. If optic atrophy is present, this small disc will appear pale or white, indicating loss of nerve fibers. If you show some of the symptoms listed above, your ophthalmologist may decide to perform additional tests. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for optic atrophy. Once the nerve fibers in the optic nerve are lost they never heal or grow back. Therefore, the best defense is an early diagnosis because if the cause can be found and corrected, further damage can be prevented.
Adult Strabismus
Strabismus is a defect in the eyes wherein the eyes point in two different directions. The exact cause is not yet understood. Our strabismus patients receive comprehensive diagnosis and management of their ocular misalignment and diplopia. The services of certified orthoptists are important components of the program, offering special eye measurement tests as well as treatment with glasses, prisms, Bangerter Foils, and/or muscle exercises as required.
The treatment for Strabismus varies accordingly to the type of squint. The different types of treatment are:
- Spectacles which is used to correct sight problems.
- Occlusion - patching the good eye to encourage the weaker eye to be used.
- Eye drops can be used for certain types of squint.
- Surgery is done in cases of congenital squints with other forms of treatment. During surgery a small incision is made in the tissue covering the eye to reach the eye muscles the eye muscles are removed from the wall of the eye and repositioned during the surgery, depending on which direction the eye is turning. Sometimes, it may be necessary to perform surgery on one or both eyes. Surgery in children in performed with a general anesthetic. Glasses may have to be used after surgery for a few days.
