Toxic optic neuropathy, when the eyes become blind as a result of poisoning

Maybe you never thought that the items you use daily contain substances that can poison the eyes. Yes, in fact there is a disease called toxic optic neuropathy, which is a visual disturbance caused by poisoning due to certain substances. If this condition is not handled quickly and appropriately, it will lead to blindness. Actually, what are the signs and symptoms of toxic optic neuropathy? What chemicals can cause this disease?

What are the symptoms of toxic optic neuropathy?

There are a number of symptoms that can characterize toxic optic neuropathy. Symptoms that arise generally occur in both eyes simultaneously. These include:

• Decrease in color sharpness, can even cause color blindness, especially red.
• The appearance of a black shadow in the middle of the vision.
• Decrease the speed of light adjustment from light to dark room.
• Blindness in severe poisoning.

Substances that can poison the eyes

Some of these substances may be very close to you, so it is best to be vigilant and avoid them. Chemicals that can poison the eye and cause toxic optic neuropathy are:

• Alcohol, especially mixed liquor which often contains methanol.
• Uncontrolled use of high doses of drugs in the long term, such as: ethambutol, amiodarone, and sidelnafil.
• Cigarettes, contain various substances that can poison the nerves of the eye.
• Heavy metals such as lead and mercury.

Several things can make a person more vulnerable

This disease will be easier if a person has other conditions such as:

• Deficiency of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, and folic acid. This deficiency is often found in alcohol and cigarette users.
• Work in an environment with a high risk of exposure to heavy metals.
• Have other diseases, especially kidney problems and liver disorders.

The checks to be carried out

To know for sure whether you have toxic optic neuropathy or not, here are the tests to do:

• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) - is a special tool that will photograph the lining of your retina. Conditions can be detected early with this tool, even before changes in the eye are visible.
• Color blindness test - examination using a special book (ishihara) to detect color blindness. Ishihara consists of letters, numbers, or lines of various colors according to each color being tested.
• MRI - this examination is necessary to rule out other diseases, especially brain tumors, such as meningiomas, which can also cause partial vision loss (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 this depends on the type of poison, the length of time it has been exposed to the poison, and also the amount of the substance.

In mild cases vision may return slowly, but generally it will take several months. Whereas in the use of methanol, eyesight generally cannot return.

The treatment that will be given varies depending on the type of substance, but in general stopping the 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 take the above drugs for other medical reasons.