"Chronic" Optic Neuropathy In Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy: A Case Report

Although some previous reports have suggested optic nerve involvement in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), the clinical course of optic neuropathy has not been well reported. We report a Japanese individual who developed "chronic" optic neuropathy with CIDP. She presented with subacute visual loss of the left eye, and her visual function did not improve until she was treated with two courses of intravenous steroid therapy and seven sessions of immunoadsorption (IA). Although these immunomodulation treatments were carried out 6 months after the onset of visual loss, her visual acuity completely recovered. These findings suggest that optic neuropathy in CIDP patients can show a chronic clinical course, and immunomodulation therapy might be effective against optic neuropathy with CIDP, even when administered during the chronic phase.