A case of phenobarbital-induced optic neuropathy

Abstract

A 12-year-old male on chronic phenobarbital therapy developed bilateral optic neuropathy. He had the pupil escape phenomenon, thus confirming the diagnosis of optic neuropathy. He had been given a total of 46.8 g of phenobarbital over a period of about 780 days and thereafter none. Following termination of this treatment, no visual loss was noted for at least one year. Transient and reversible visual loss is thus perhaps characteristic of phenobarbital optic neuropathy.

Key Words:

• phenobarbital
• optic neuropathy
• pupil escape phenomenon