Question
A premature baby born at seven months due to acute pancreatitis was found to have difficulty following objects with their eyes at three months old and underwent surgery. The parents inquire, is there a possibility of curing the optic nerve atrophy?
Answer
Optic nerve atrophy is typically a delayed neurological disorder, often caused by previously affected nerves that did not receive sufficient blood supply, leading to subsequent degenerative changes. Treating such diseases early on is more challenging than treating original nerve damage, and delayed treatment may result in blindness. Treatment should be initiated as soon as possible; prolonged ischemia can lead to secondary degenerative changes in the affected nerves, making treatment futile. In addition to using nutritional medications, a combination of Chinese and Western medicine methods should be adopted to nourish and prevent ischemic degeneration of the affected nerves. Furthermore, drugs that can stimulate and activate damaged or shocked nerves should be used to restore nerve function, thereby achieving optimal recovery of various functions such as movement.