title: Decompression sickness presenting as optic neuropathy.
abstract: Decompression sickness (DCS) is a systemic disorder caused by an abrupt decrease in the ambient atmospheric pressure to which an individual is exposed. A previously healthy 23-year-old male parachutist developed optic neuropathy after a series of multiple repeated hypobaric exposures; his symptoms improved promptly with recompression and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. We believe this to be the first reported case of DCS presenting as optic neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Naval Hospital, Pensacola, FL 32512-5000.
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Butler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003664:Decompression; D003665:Decompression Sickness / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D008297:Male; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014794:Visual Fields