Who gets optic neuritis?
Although optic neuritis can affect all ages, usually patients tend to be young (average age early 30’s) and female. Optic neuritis can be found in patients with auto-immune conditions such as in multiple sclerosis and infectious diseases such as in meningitis, infection in the orbit, or infection of the sinuses. Retrobulbar neuritis in a woman less than 50 years old – with pain on eye movement – is very characteristic of the optic neuritis seen in multiple sclerosis and a complete neurologic evaluation is necessary (see below).
