Ischaemic Optic Neuropathy in Lyme Disease

Abstract

A 57-year-old man was referred for a painful acute inferior visual field defect in his right eye. Fundus examination of the right eye revealed diffuse optic disc oedema compatible with a papillitis. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings were consistent with lymphocytic meningitis, and serologic tests for Lyme disease were positive in both serum and CSF. After treatment with ceftriaxone and bolus of methylprednisolone, right eye inferior altitudinal visual field defect persisted despite resolution of papillitis, and fundus examination disclosed a superior optic atrophy in the right eye. To our knowledge, it is the first reported case of a unilateral Lyme optic neuritis occurring simultaneously to neuroborreliosis and further complicated by non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy.

KEYWORDS::

• Lyme disease
• optic disc oedema
• papillitis
• meningitis
• neuroborreliosis

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.