Non arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy

Hi @pedie, You must be so concerned for your son. Being told that "nothing can be done" is hard to hear. I am not familiar with Ischemic Optic Neuropathy, so I referred to this article written by Mayo expert, Dr. James Garrity http://bit.ly/2quDEIY

From this article, I learned:
"About 40% of people with nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy spontaneously recover some useful vision. In this condition, repeat episodes in the same eye are extremely rare. Involvement of the other eye is estimated to occur in about 20% of affected people over the next 5 years."

"In people with nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy, treatment involves controlling blood pressure, diabetes, and other risk factors for atherosclerosis. Other causes, such as blood-clotting disorders and obstructive sleep apnea, may also require treatment."

Pedie, does you son have atherosclerosis?

Hi Ms. Young. I'm the son Pedie was referring to. My right eye was diagnosed with Non Arteritic Ischemic optic neuropathy in May. I am in great health, work out and am a home builder. I have none of the risk factors: diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea. And I don't have atherosclerosis. The neuro ophthamologist said I had a "disk at risk", or a smaller opening through which the optic nerve and capillaries have to pass to enter the eye. The swelling that caused the damage to the optic nerve has subsided and the neuro ophth. said the right eye would neither get better or any worse. It's at 20/150. My main concern is doing all I can to protect the other eye. Any therapies, supplements, protocols that could help I'd love to know about. Thanks!

Hello @mlbondurant! Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thank you for posting.

I was able to find a direct link to a clinical study being done at Mayo Clinic on patients diagnosed with Acute Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy. http://www.mayo.edu/research/clinical-trials/cls-20253809

If reaching out to the Mayo Clinic is an option for you please refer to this link for appointment information. http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

@mlbondurant, can you tell me what you have been doing thus far to protect your eye? Did your Ophthalmologist give you any suggestions?

Thanks for the link Jamie. I'll check out the study when I get a chance. The ophthalmologist I first went to and saw three times,--initial visit, results of lab tests and then MRI, reported her diagnosis and then said "take care of yourself." She did offer to refer me to a neuro ophthalmologist who saw me twice. His suggestion was to take a daily baby aspirin and perhaps have my gp do a sleep study on me. My partner can attest I do not have sleep apnea and I'm hesitating to take aspririn every day. I am taking resveratrol daily, based on the recommendation of an ophthalmologist who is a physician for a friend of my mother's. I have been doing acupuncture and Chinese herbs. The western medicine folks all say there is no treatment for NAION and hopefully I won't have an occurrence in my other eye. Thanks for your interest!

Pedie, my age and story is exactly like yours- thanks for sharing! If taking resveratrol or anything else has helped please share it with me. I am willing to try acupuncture, herbs, etc. Please share and thank you!

Hi all. I'm happy to see a discussion group on NAION. I was diagnosed with it April 2017, despite 10 years of a daily baby aspirin regimen. My neuro opthamalogist mentioned a stem cell study starting this January. Anyone else aware of this study?

pslabels - I tired acupuncture for several months, about three months following symptom onset. Unfortunately I didn't benefit.

I am so happy to see there is a group who is experiencing non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy. It is such a rare happening and most people don't know anything about it. Mine happened to me over night in 2011 in my right eye. It just happened again in my left eye but has been a slow process. From everything I have read it is a wait and see what happens. I was scheduled for cataract surgery when this happened and am hoping for clearer vision after the surgery.

Because I am a new member of Mayo connect I am not sure how to add more except to rely to my own post. My questions for others is have you seen a Mayo doctor and found there is nothing that can be done except wait and see if eye improves?

@weezy1939 Welcome to this group may I say when you want to direct a answer or question to a certain person add the @sign then the person,s name like I did @wheezy1939. I hope you can find some relieve about your eye Its scary I have M.D.,@glaucoma we have to protect our eyes Hopeing you,'ll post again.