Editing Optic neuritis (section)

== Signs and symptoms ==

===Symptoms===
Major symptoms are:

* sudden loss of vision (partial or complete),
* sudden [[Blurred vision|blurred]] or "foggy" vision, and
* [[pain]] on movement of the affected eye.<ref>{{cite web |title=Optic neuritis |url=https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/optic-neuritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354953 |publisher=Mayo Clinic}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite web |title=Optic neuritis |url=https://www.rnib.org.uk/your-eyes/eye-conditions-az/optic-neuritis/ |website=RNIB}}</ref><ref name="auto122">{{Cite web |title=ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics |url=https://icd.who.int/browse/2024-01/mms/en#210935787 |website=icd.who.int}}</ref>

Patients with optic neuritis may experience [[Color blindness|dyschromatopsia]] which describes a range of [[color vision]] in the affected eye (especially [[red]]), with colors appearing subtly washed out compared to the other eye. Patients may also experience difficulties judging movement in depth, which can be particular troublesome during driving or sport ([[Pulfrich effect]]). Likewise, transient worsening of vision with increase of body temperature ([[Uhthoff's phenomenon]]) and glare disability are a frequent complaint.

Involvement of the optic nerve may be unilateral or bilateral, depending on the underlying etiology.<ref name=":35"/> For example, MS-optic neuritis often presents unilaterally while NMOSD-optic neuritis and MOGAD-optic neuritis more often present bilaterally.

However not everyone who has optic neuritis has problems with their vision.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 22, 2024 |title=Optic Neuritis |url=https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/optic-neuritis |website=www.hopkinsmedicine.org}}</ref>

=== Early Symptoms ===
Early symptoms that require investigation include symptoms from multiple sclerosis (twitching, lack of coordination, slurred speech, frequent episodes of partial vision loss or blurred vision), episodes of "disturbed/blackened" rather than blurry indicate moderate stage and require immediate medical attention to prevent further loss of vision. Other early symptoms are reduced [[night vision]], [[photophobia]] and [[Red eye (medicine)|red eyes]].

====Variation in symptoms with age====
Several case studies in children have demonstrated the absence of pain in more than half of cases (approximately 60%) in their pediatric study population, with the most common symptom reported simply as "blurriness".<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Lucchinetti CF, Kiers L, O'Duffy A, Gomez MR, Cross S, Leavitt JA, O'Brien P, Rodriguez M |date=November 1997 |title=Risk factors for developing multiple sclerosis after childhood optic neuritis |journal=Neurology |volume=49 |issue=5 |pages=1413–1418 |doi=10.1212/WNL.49.5.1413 |pmid=9371931 |s2cid=33205877}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Lana-Peixoto MA, Andrade GC |date=June 2001 |title=The clinical profile of childhood optic neuritis |journal=Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria |volume=59 |issue=2–B |pages=311–317 |doi=10.1590/S0004-282X2001000300001 |pmid=11460171 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Other remarkable differences between the presentation of adult optic neuritis as compared to pediatric cases include more often unilateral optic neuritis in adults, while children much predominantly present with bilateral involvement.