[Optic neuromyelitis. Main differences with multiple sclerosis]. / Neuromielitis óptica. Principales diferencias con la esclerosis múltiple.

The optic neuromyelitis or syndrome of Devic is an inflammatory and autoimmune illness of the central nervous system. It is characterized by attacks of optic neuritis and myelitis, being able to produce blindness, great neurological disability and even the short term death. Until the moment an effective treatment doesn't exist, the therapy is centred in the treatment of the acute attacks, the medical prevention of the complications and the rehabilitation. This article is a revision of this not very common illness, considering that its prevalence in our country has gone in increase. We compare between the optic neuromyelitis and the multiple sclerosis, being based on the main ones characteristic clinical-epidemic that distinguishes these two pathologies, considered by many clinical variants of oneself illness.