Optic disc drusen and acute vision loss
Rosen, E.; Almog, Y.; Assia, E.
Harefuah 144(11): 785-9 822
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0017-7768 PMID: 16358654 Document Number: 586223
Optic disc drusen (ODD) are calcified nodules within the optic nerve head. These are products of degenerated retinal ganglion cells axoplasmic transport, also known as hyaline or colloid bodies. They are mainly encountered as an incidental benign finding, or as a benign cause of swollen discs (in the differential diagnosis of papilledema). The majority of the patients are asymptomatic, and a slowly progressive sub-clinical visual field loss is found in about 80% of the patients. However, acute painless symptomatic visual field loss, occasionally massive, is rare. This is a case history of 4 patients who developed acute painless visual field loss which was attributed to optic disc drusen. The clinical features and proposed ischemic pathophysiology of acute vision loss and ODD are discussed.