neuroophthalmologia

Neuroophthalmology is a subspecialty of ophthalmology and neurology that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of visual disorders resulting from neurological conditions. This field bridges the gap between the eye and the brain, recognizing that many vision problems are not due to the eye itself but rather to issues within the visual pathways of the brain or the nerves connecting the eye to the brain.

Neuroophthalmologists evaluate a wide range of conditions. These include optic nerve disorders such as optic neuritis, ischemic optic neuropathy, and papilledema (swelling of the optic nerve head). They also manage conditions affecting cranial nerves that control eye movements, leading to double vision or strabismus. Furthermore, neuroophthalmology addresses visual field defects caused by strokes, tumors, or other brain lesions, as well as conditions like nystagmus (involuntary eye movements) and visual disturbances related to systemic diseases or medications. The diagnostic process often involves a thorough eye examination, including visual acuity testing, visual field analysis, and assessment of pupillary responses, combined with neurological evaluation and often imaging studies like MRI or CT scans of the brain and orbits.