Comments and Conclusion (cont’d)
- Individuals with NA-AION typically show visual field and acuity improvements up to 6 months from the initial diagnosis, but visual function improvement after that date is rare.3 41% of eyes with an initial visual acuity of ≤20/70 and 26% of eyes with moderate to severe visual field defects showed improvement within 6 months after the initial evaluation.4
- It is speculated that killed virus vaccines such as trivalent influenza or swine influenza vaccination may share similar antigens with CNS proteins and therefore may stimulate an allergic reaction that produces CNS inflammation and demyelination. This response may present clinically as an acute neurological deficit, such as optic neuritis, with good spontaneous recovery.2
- There is controversy around the effectiveness of aspirin in the prevention of developing NA-AION in the fellow eye. Two different studies claim that aspirin has no effect in reducing the risk of NA-AION in the fellow eye8,9, while another study found that aspirin was beneficial in preventing NA-AION in the fellow eye.10
- Recurrence of NA-AION in the same eye was 1% after 3 months and 4% after 1 year1. There is also a 25% chance of development in the fellow eye within 3 years.1
- If IOP is high or borderline high, such as in our patient, it would be advisable to try to lower IOP to improve perfusion pressure in the optic nerve head.1