Neurológia pre prax 2/2023

Optic disc edema – a shared topic of ophthalmologists and neurologists

Optic disc swelling is a potentially life- and sight-threatening symptom and its diagnostic procedure often requires the cooperation of a neurologist and an ophthalmologist. A good knowledge of individual optic nerve diseases, including findings that mimic optic disc swelling but do not require immediate investigation, is essential for a correct and effective differential diagnosis of this finding. In this article, we summarize the basic causes according to the mechanism of involvement (inflammatory changes, vascular changes, increased pressure and systemic disorders) and the specific diagnoses leading to optic disc swelling.

Keywords: optic disc swelling, optic disc edema, papilledema, optic neuritis