title: Acute optic neuritis: Unmet clinical needs and model for new therapies.
abstract: Idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis (ON) most commonly presents as acute unilateral vision loss and eye pain and is frequently associated with multiple sclerosis. Although emphasis is often placed on the good recovery of high-contrast visual acuity, persistent deficits are frequently observed in other aspects of vision, including contrast sensitivity, visual field testing, color vision, motion perception, and vision-related quality of life. Persistent and profound structural and functional changes are often revealed by imaging and electrophysiologic techniques, including optical coherence tomography, visual-evoked potentials, and nonconventional MRI. These abnormalities can impair patients' abilities to perform daily activities (e.g., driving, working) so they have important implications for patients' quality of life. In this article, we review the sequelae from ON, including clinical, structural, and functional changes and their interrelationships. The unmet needs in each of these areas are considered and the progress made toward meeting those needs is examined. Finally, we provide an overview of past and present investigational approaches for disease modification in ON.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), Ophthalmology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), and Population Health (L.J.B.), New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY; Center of Neuroimmunology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Hospital Clinic of Barcelona (P.V.), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Neurology (P.V.), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Neurology (N.L.), The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah Hebrew-University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; Scheie Eye Institute and FM Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology (K.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UPMC Eye Center (H.I.), Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA; Department of Bioengineering (H.I.), Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA; Excel Scientific Solutions (E.P.), Southport, CT; and Biogen (D.C.), Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: Steven L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Galetta
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), Ophthalmology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), and Population Health (L.J.B.), New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY; Center of Neuroimmunology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Hospital Clinic of Barcelona (P.V.), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Neurology (P.V.), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Neurology (N.L.), The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah Hebrew-University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; Scheie Eye Institute and FM Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology (K.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UPMC Eye Center (H.I.), Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA; Department of Bioengineering (H.I.), Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA; Excel Scientific Solutions (E.P.), Southport, CT; and Biogen (D.C.), Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Villoslada
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), Ophthalmology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), and Population Health (L.J.B.), New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY; Center of Neuroimmunology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Hospital Clinic of Barcelona (P.V.), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Neurology (P.V.), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Neurology (N.L.), The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah Hebrew-University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; Scheie Eye Institute and FM Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology (K.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UPMC Eye Center (H.I.), Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA; Department of Bioengineering (H.I.), Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA; Excel Scientific Solutions (E.P.), Southport, CT; and Biogen (D.C.), Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: Netta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Levin
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), Ophthalmology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), and Population Health (L.J.B.), New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY; Center of Neuroimmunology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Hospital Clinic of Barcelona (P.V.), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Neurology (P.V.), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Neurology (N.L.), The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah Hebrew-University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; Scheie Eye Institute and FM Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology (K.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UPMC Eye Center (H.I.), Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA; Department of Bioengineering (H.I.), Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA; Excel Scientific Solutions (E.P.), Southport, CT; and Biogen (D.C.), Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shindler
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), Ophthalmology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), and Population Health (L.J.B.), New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY; Center of Neuroimmunology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Hospital Clinic of Barcelona (P.V.), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Neurology (P.V.), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Neurology (N.L.), The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah Hebrew-University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; Scheie Eye Institute and FM Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology (K.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UPMC Eye Center (H.I.), Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA; Department of Bioengineering (H.I.), Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA; Excel Scientific Solutions (E.P.), Southport, CT; and Biogen (D.C.), Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), Ophthalmology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), and Population Health (L.J.B.), New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY; Center of Neuroimmunology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Hospital Clinic of Barcelona (P.V.), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Neurology (P.V.), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Neurology (N.L.), The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah Hebrew-University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; Scheie Eye Institute and FM Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology (K.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UPMC Eye Center (H.I.), Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA; Department of Bioengineering (H.I.), Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA; Excel Scientific Solutions (E.P.), Southport, CT; and Biogen (D.C.), Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parr
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), Ophthalmology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), and Population Health (L.J.B.), New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY; Center of Neuroimmunology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Hospital Clinic of Barcelona (P.V.), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Neurology (P.V.), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Neurology (N.L.), The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah Hebrew-University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; Scheie Eye Institute and FM Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology (K.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UPMC Eye Center (H.I.), Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA; Department of Bioengineering (H.I.), Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA; Excel Scientific Solutions (E.P.), Southport, CT; and Biogen (D.C.), Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cadavid
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), Ophthalmology (S.L.G., L.J.B.), and Population Health (L.J.B.), New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY; Center of Neuroimmunology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and Hospital Clinic of Barcelona (P.V.), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Neurology (P.V.), University of California, San Francisco; Department of Neurology (N.L.), The Agnes Ginges Center for Human Neurogenetics, Hadassah Hebrew-University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; Scheie Eye Institute and FM Kirby Center for Molecular Ophthalmology (K.S.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; UPMC Eye Center (H.I.), Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA; Department of Bioengineering (H.I.), Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA; Excel Scientific Solutions (E.P.), Southport, CT; and Biogen (D.C.), Cambridge, MA.
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Balcer