See Also: Optic nerve hypoplasia(health)
optic nerve hypoplasia(medicine)
Optic nerve(health)
Optic nerve(medicine)
optic nerve head(medicine)
optic nerve meningioma(medicine)
optic nerve glioma(medicine)
optic nerve drusen(medicine)
coloboma of optic nerve(medicine)
optic nerve diseases(medicine)

Optic nerve hypoplasia (health)


small and underdeveloped optic nerve. Optic nerve hypoplasia is one of the leading causes of vision loss and blindness in infants and children. Optic nerve hypoplasia occurs in the early stages of fetal development, when the eyes are forming. The optic nerve never fully develops or, once developed, dies-off and reduces in size for unknown reasons. Recent evidence suggests that ganglion cell axons, that make-up the optic nerve, are not able to grow through the optic nerve head because certain chemical messengers are not present for directional growth from the eye to the brain. Optic nerve hypoplasia is variable, and can result in only minor vision problems to complete blindness. Usually, if the infant has nystagmus the optic nerve hypoplasia is more severe and vision is very much reduced. If the infant does not have nystagmus, the likelihood for significant vision loss in less. All infants with optic nerve hypoplasia should have a CT scan or MRI to look for midline brain defects that can result in body growth problems. If the infant does not have nystagmus, the chance of midline brain defects is small. If the infant has nystagmus, the chance of midline defects is greater. Some infants have optic nerve hypoplasia in one eye only. If only in one eye, the chance of midline defects is very small and the doctor may chose not to do a CT scan or MRI, depending on other factors. There is no treatment or cure for optic nerve hypoplasia.