Disease description
There are two types of AION:
Arteritic AION (AAION) is caused by inflammation in the arteries supplying the optic nerve as a result of giant cell arteritis (GCA), killing off nerve cells as a result of insufficient blood supply. AAION causes sudden vision loss in one eye, and if untreated, can blind the other eye as fast as a week later.
Non-arteritic AION (NAION) is a stroke of the optic nerve due to insufficient blood supply, which can be caused by a crowded optic disk, and myriad cardiovascular factors. NAION usually presents itself as a sudden blinding upon waking up, with vision typically stabilizing within 3 months.
Arteritic AION (AAION) is caused by inflammation in the arteries supplying the optic nerve as a result of giant cell arteritis (GCA), killing off nerve cells as a result of insufficient blood supply. AAION causes sudden vision loss in one eye, and if untreated, can blind the other eye as fast as a week later.
Non-arteritic AION (NAION) is a stroke of the optic nerve due to insufficient blood supply, which can be caused by a crowded optic disk, and myriad cardiovascular factors. NAION usually presents itself as a sudden blinding upon waking up, with vision typically stabilizing within 3 months.
Treatment options
Current treatment revolves around managing the cardiovascular aspect. In AAION, intervention with high dosages of corticosteroids is necessary to prevent further vision loss. In NAION, no treatment has proved effective: the most rigorous trial conducted so far found that surgical intervention was not useful, but instead harmful to patients.
There is currently no method to restore vision after an AION attack, but there are promising avenues to regenerate the optic nerve after cell death, notably electrical stimulation of the optic nerve.
There is currently no method to restore vision after an AION attack, but there are promising avenues to regenerate the optic nerve after cell death, notably electrical stimulation of the optic nerve.