Natural history of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.
Visual acuity and quantitative perimetry (Octopus Program 32) testing was performed in the acute (< 30 days after onset) and convalescent (> 3 months after onset) phases of disease in 27 patients with untreated NAION. Initial group mean acuity and sensitivity loss were compared to final values using the t test. Proportions of patients demonstrating a change of > 2 lines acuity or > 2 dB mean sensitivity were calculated. Patients were classified as either "progressive" (n = 6) or "stable" (n = 21) for purposes of additional subgroup analysis. There was no significant change in group mean visual acuity or field over time. Overall, significant worsening occurred in 11.1% for visual acuity and 22.2% for visual field; improvement occurred in 23.8% for acuity and 24.0% for field. Of 21 "stable" patients, none worsened for acuity and 4.7% showed late worsening of field; 31.3% showed significant improvement for acuity and 31.6% for field. No "progressive" patients demonstrated worsening or improvement after the initial progressive phase.
Arnold
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UCLA Optic Neuropathy Center, Jules Stein Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology 90024-7005.
Hepler
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D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001167:Arteritis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology