Question
What are the causes of optic nerve atrophy? How should it be treated? Are there any effective methods?
Answer
Optic nerve atrophy is not a name for a specific disease but rather a term used in pathology to describe the morphological change where the retinal ganglion cells and their axons are damaged by any disease, leading to the thinning of the optic nerve. This condition typically occurs in the degeneration of the axons of the retinal ganglion cells between the retina and the lateral geniculate nucleus. The clinical manifestations of optic nerve atrophy are primarily reduced vision and the optic disc appearing grayish or bluish. Therefore, it can be determined that there are many potential causes for this condition, especially eye diseases such as various fundus diseases, glaucoma, and eye trauma, which can all lead to optic nerve atrophy. Diseases around the eyes, such as tumors, hemorrhages, and degenerative diseases, can also cause optic nerve atrophy.