RESUMO
Open-angle glaucoma (OAG), the most prevalent clinical type of glaucoma, is still the main cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. OAG is a neurodegenerative illness for which the most important risk factor is elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Many questions remain unanswered about OAG, such as whether nutritional or toxic habits, other personal characteristics, and/or systemic diseases influence the course of glaucoma. As such, in this study, we performed a multicenter analytical, observational, case-control study of 412 participants of both sexes, aged 40-80 years, that were classified as having ocular hypertension (OHT) or OAG. Our primary endpoint was to investigate the relationship between specific lifestyle habits; anthropometric and endocrine-metabolic, cardiovascular, and respiratory events; and commonly used psychochemicals, with the presence of OHT or OAG in an ophthalmologic population from Spain and Portugal. Demographic, epidemiological, and ocular/systemic clinical data were recorded from all participants. Data were analyzed using the R Statistics v4.1.2 and RStudio v2021.09.1 programs. The mean age was 62 ± 15 years, with 67-80 years old comprising the largest subgroup sample of participants in both study groups. The central corneal thickness (ultrasound pachymetry)-adjusted IOP (Goldman tonometry) in each eye was 20.46 ± 2.35 and 20.1 ± 2.73 mmHg for the OHT individuals, and 15.8 ± 3.83 and 16.94 ± 3.86 mmHg for the OAG patients, with significant differences between groups (both p = 0.001). The highest prevalence of the surveyed characteristics in both groups was for overweight/obesity and daily coffee consumption, followed by psychochemical drug intake, migraine, and peripheral vasospasm. Our data show that overweight/obesity, migraine, asthma, and smoking are major risk factors for conversion from OHT to OAG in this Spanish and Portuguese population.
RESUMO
SIGNIFICANCE: Nutritional and toxic optic neuropathies are rare disorders characterized by visual impairment due to optic nerve damage by a toxin, usually with coexisting nutritional deficiencies. Its pathophysiology is still unclear, and multiple mechanisms implicated act synergistically to bring about this condition. The decline in its incidence and its confusing clinical appearance make diagnosing nutritional and toxic optic neuropathies challenging. PURPOSE: This is an observational clinical case report of an atypical clinical case of a nutritional and toxic optic neuropathy with a subacute presentation and papilledema at the time of diagnosis. The patient provided written informed consent for medical information and images to be published. CASE REPORT: A 47-year-old man presented with progressive, painless bilateral decrease in central vision over 15 days. The patient had a long-standing history of alcohol abuse and was a heavy smoker. The examination revealed dyschromatopsia, 20/400 visual acuity on both eyes, and no relative afferent pupillary defect. Funduscopy revealed bilateral papilledema. A visual field test showed generalized depression with centrocecal involvement in the left eye. Laboratory studies evidenced decreased vitamin B12/B1 and red blood cell folate levels, increased acute phase reactants, hypertransaminasemia, and macrocytic anemia. Serologies and methanol in urine were negative. After the discontinuation of tobacco use and alcohol accompanied by vitamin supplementation, our patient's visual field, visual acuity, and papilledema improved remarkably. After 5 months, visual acuity and funduscopy were normal. CONCLUSIONS: Although some hallmark signs were visible in this case, its subacute presentation and the presence of papilledema at diagnosis caused some diagnostic uncertainty. Nutritional and toxic optic neuropathy is a rare and challenging diagnosis because of a lack of biomarkers. Eye care clinicians should consider nutritional and toxic optic neuropathies to prevent severe and irreversible visual damage resulting from underdiagnosis and mismanagement.