Clinical Profile and Etiological Patterns of Optic Neuropathy at a Tertiary Healthcare Center

Background: Optic neuropathy encompasses a spectrum of conditions affecting the optic nerve with various etiologies and clinical presentations. This study aimed to characterize the demographic profile, etiological patterns, and HBdclinical characteristics of patients with optic neuropathy presenting to a tertiary healthcare center in Western India. Methods: This prospective observational study included 38 eyes of 38 patients diagnosed with optic neuropathy between November 2017 and November 2018. Comprehensive ophthalmic examination including visual acuity, color vision, pupillary reactions, fundoscopy, visual field testing, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed. Demographic characteristics, etiological factors, clinical presentation, and systemic comorbidities were analyzed. Results: The mean age was 38.63±12.62 years with a female preponderance (57.89%). Idiopathic optic neuritis (47.36%) was the most common etiology, followed by retrobulbar neuritis (21.05%), non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (10.53%), traumatic optic neuropathy (7.89%), and toxic optic neuropathy (5.26%). There was a significant association between age below 40 years and optic neuritis (p<0.0001), while ischemic optic neuropathy predominated in patients above 50 years. Diabetes mellitus (23.68%) and hypertension (21.04%) were the most common systemic comorbidities, with a significant association between ischemic neuropathy and hypertension. All patients presented with diminution of vision, and 52.63% reported pain on eye movements. Relative afferent pupillary defect was observed in 92.11% of cases, and 84.21% demonstrated abnormal color vision at presentation.