Optic Neuritis |
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 Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Diagnosis An accurate and early diagnosis of optic neuritis is critical in managing your child's disease and quality of life.
In making a diagnosis of optic neuritis, your child's doctor will first start by conducting a thorough eye and physical examination, asking about any symptoms your child is experiencing, including when they started and how they've eased or progressed over time. Your child's doctor will also record their full medical history, including information about your immediate and extended family's medical history.
Your child may also have an eye exam by an ophtalmologist who will look for optic nerve damage. Evoked potentials test, which records electrical activity in the brain when nerves are stimulated, may also be conducted.
Next, your child may have a magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) test of the brain. An MRI of the brain is a non-invasive procedure that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to construct clear, detailed pictures of brain tissues. A brain MRI is able to detect lesions or inflammation in the brain, which may indicate your child has multiple sclerosis (MS), or is at a high risk of a recurrent episode of optic neuritis, and therefore at risk for developing MS. However, even if your child has a normal MRI scan, this does not necessarily mean that they will not experience another episode of optic neuritis in the future.
Finally, in some cases, your child may also have a lumbar puncture or spinal tap to help in the diagnosis of potential MS. The CSF is the fluid that bathes, cushions and protects the brain and spinal cord. It flows through the skull and spine in the subarachnoid space, which is the area inside the arachnoid membrane.
Additional visual tests may also be conducted.
A diagnosis of optic neuritis is based upon an evaluation of your child's symptoms along with the results of their physical exam and tests.
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Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated August 15, 2007
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