title: Interferon-alpha-associated bilateral simultaneous ischemic optic neuropathy.
abstract: The authors describe one patient with essential thrombocytosis and one with chronic hepatitis C infection who developed bilateral simultaneous anterior ischemic optic neuropathy within 3 months of starting treatment with interferon-alpha. One patient had several typical risk factors for conventional AION; the other did not. These cases are the fourth and fifth reported examples of this phenomenon. Interferon-alpha treatment may cause or aggravate the risk of developing anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Vulnerable patients should be advised of this potential complication, assisted in reducing risk factors, and monitored for optic nerve and retinal vascular complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, 6 Weizmann Street, Tel Aviv 64239, Israel.
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vardizer
authors.forename: Yifat
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Linhart
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loewenstein
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Garzozi
authors.forename: Nail
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mazawi
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kesler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018917:Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013922:Thrombocytosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha