Contents:
- Medical Video: Ethambutol Toxic Optic Neuropathy
- What are the symptoms of toxic optical neuropathy?
- Substances that can poison the eyes
- Some things can make someone more vulnerable
- Examination will be carried out
- Can this eye disease be treated?
Medical Video: Ethambutol Toxic Optic Neuropathy
Maybe you never thought if the items you use everyday contain substances that can poison the eyes. Yes, the fact is there is a disease called toxic optical neuropathy which is a visual impairment caused by poisoning due to certain substances. If this condition is not dealt with quickly and precisely, it will cause blindness. Actually, what are the signs and symptoms of toxic optical neuropathy? What chemicals can cause this disease?
What are the symptoms of toxic optical neuropathy?
There is a set of symptoms that can be a feature of toxic optical neuropathy. Symptoms that occur generally occur in both eyes simultaneously. These things include:
- Decreasing color sharpness can even lead to color red especially red.
- The appearance of black shadows in the middle of the vision.
- Decrease the speed of light adjustment from the light to dark room.
- Blindness in severe poisoning cases.
Substances that can poison the eyes
Some of these substances may be very close to you, so it should be vigilant and avoid these substances. Chemicals that can poison the eyes and cause toxic optical neuropathy are:
- Alcohol, especially alcoholic beverages which often contain methanol.
- Long-term use of high-dose drugs that are not controlled, such as: ethambutol, amiodarone and sidelnafil.
- Cigarettes, contain various substances that can poison the eye nerves.
- Heavy metals such as lead and mercury.
Some things can make someone more vulnerable
This disease will occur more easily if someone experiences other conditions such as:
- Deficiencies of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, and folic acid. This deficiency is often found in alcohol and cigarette users.
- Work in environments that are at high risk of exposure to heavy metals.
- Have other diseases, especially kidney disorders and liver disorders.
Examination will be carried out
To find out for sure, whether you have a toxic optical neuropathy or not, the following are the checks that must be done:
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) - is a special tool that will photograph your retinal layer. Conditions can be detected earlier with this tool, even before changes in the eye are seen.
- Color blindness - examination uses a special book (ishihara) to detect color blindness. Ishihara consists of letters, numbers, or lines with various colors according to each color being tested.
- MRI - this examination needs to be done to rule out other diseases, especially brain tumors, such as meningioma, which can also cause a decrease in partial vision (scotoma).
- Blood and urine tests to detect substances that are thought to be the cause.
Can this eye disease be treated?
Treatment is not always able to restore all vision because it depends on the type of toxin, the length of time the poison is exposed, and also the amount of the substance.
In mild cases vision can return slowly, but generally it will take several months. While in the use of methanol, vision generally cannot return.
The treatment to be given varies depending on the type of substance, but broadly the termination of consumption of toxic substances is the most important thing to do. In addition, regular monitoring is also needed every 4-6 weeks, especially for those of you who continue to consume the drugs above for other medical reasons.
