title: Comparison of visual acuity and automated perimetry findings in patients with neuromyelitis optica or multiple sclerosis after single or multiple attacks of optic neuritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the clinical characteristics of patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and to compare their visual outcome with those of patients with optic neuritis (ON) and multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three patients with NMO underwent neuro-ophthalmic evaluation, including automated perimetry along with 30 patients with MS. Visual function in both groups was compared overall and specifically for eyes after a single episode of ON.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Visual function and average visual field (VF) mean deviation were significantly worse in eyes of patients with NMO. After a single episode of ON, the VF was normal in only 2 of 36 eyes of patients with NMO compared to 17 of 35 eyes with MS (P < 0.001). The statistical analysis indicated that after a single episode of ON, the odds ratio for having NMO was 6.0 (confidence interval [CI]: 1.6-21.9) when VF mean deviation was worse than -20.0 dB while the odds ratio for having MS was 16.0 (CI: 3.6-68.7) when better than -3.0 dB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visual outcome was significantly worse in NMO than in MS. After a single episode of ON, suspicion of NMO should be raised in the presence of severe residual VF deficit with automated perimetry and lowered in the case of complete VF recovery.
authors.affiliation: Division of Ophthalmology and Laboratory of Investigation in Ophthalmology, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danilo B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Renata de Iracema P
authors.initials: Rde I
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Falcochio
authors.forename: Samira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Apóstolos-Pereira
authors.forename: Dagoberto
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Callegaro
authors.forename: Mário Luiz Ribeiro
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Monteiro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014792:Visual Acuity; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields; D055815:Young Adult