Guidelines for posttraumatic optic nerve neuropathy management

Introduction
The aim of the paper was to establish new clinical guidelines for patients suffering from posttraumatic optic nerve neuropathy management.

Material and methods
The study covered a group of 100 patients with unilateral posttraumatic optic nerve neuropathy. 76 patients were diagnosed with blindness and 24 with progressive weakening of visual acuity from the time of injury. 56 patients received conservative treatment only, among them 48 underwent steroid therapy. In 23 patients a decompression of the optic nerve in its canal and in 21 in the intraorbital section was performed. Improvement in vision was obtained in 44 patients, 52 did not improve, and in 4 cases their vision deteriorated.

Conclusions
1. Posttraumatic optic nerve neuropathy is an indication for immediate steroid therapy. 2. Progressive vision loss in the optic nerve canal fracture is an indication for its decompression.