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Abstract #13877 Published in IGR 8-2
Effect of transcorneal electrical stimulation in patients with nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy or traumatic optic neuropathy
Fujikado T; Morimoto T; Matsushita K; Shimojo H; Okawa Y; Tano YJapanese Journal of Ophthalmology 2006; 50: 266-273
PURPOSE: To determine whether transcorneal electrical stimulation (TES) can improve the visual function of patients with nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) or traumatic optic neuropathy (TON). METHODS: Eight consecutive patients at the Osaka University Hospital were studied. TES (600-800 μA, 20 Hz, 30 min) was applied once each to three eyes with NAION and to five eyes with TON, using a contact lens-type stimulating electrode. The primary outcome measurement was the change in visual acuity at 1 to 3 months after TES. An improvement in visual acuity was defined as a change of ≥ 0.3 log (minimum angle of resolution) (logMAR) units. The side effects of TES were also investigated. RESULTS: After TES application, the visual acuity improved in two patients with NAION and in four patients with TON. Visual acuity did not worsen in any of the eyes. Only a mild superficial punctuate keratopathy was observed in all eyes immediately after TES, and it healed by the next day. CONCLUSIONS: Visual acuity can be improved after TES without major complications in some patients with NAION or TON. These results suggest that TES should be considered as a new treatment for eyes with optic neuropathy.
Dr. T. Fujikado, Department of Applied Visual Science, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan. fujikado@ophthal.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Classification:
10 Differential diagnosis e.g. anterior and posterior ischemic optic neuropathy