What is Neuro-Ophthalmology?

Neuro-ophthalmology is a subspecialty of medicine that combines the fields of neurology and eye care. You may have heard that our nervous system (consisting of the brain, spinal cord, and multiple nerves traveling throughout the body) is responsible for our ability to move, think, and experience sensations. The eye, as it turns out, is also part of this complex system! Light travels from the outside world into the back of the eye, where nerve cells convert it into chemical and electrical signals. A special tract, called the optic nerve, carries these signals to the brain, which processes them to produce our sensation of vision. Any damage to this nerve pathway – from the back of the eye, to the optic nerve, to the brain itself – can lead to loss of your vision. 

In addition to carrying information from your eye to your brain, nerves also transmit signals from the brain to muscles inside and around the eye. When this connection is compromised, you may experience issues such as double vision, uneven pupils, misaligned eyes, difficulty moving your eyes or opening your eyelids, involuntary eye movements, or twitching in the facial areas around the eye. 

A neuro-ophthalmologist specializes in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of the aforementioned issues. With this amount of information, however, it can be difficult to know whether you should see a neuro-ophthalmologist. The good news is that more general eye care professionals, such as optometrists or general ophthalmologists, can point you in the right direction. If you have received a referral or recommendation from your physician to see a neuro-ophthalmologist, please indicate this in your new patient registration form. If you have not yet seen a healthcare professional for your condition, and are unclear on next steps, please feel welcome to call our office with your symptoms – we would be happy to assist you!

If you would like to know if Dr. Sabet treats a specific condition, please visit our frequently asked questions (FAQ) section, or give our office a call!

During your appointment, please do not hesitate to ask any and all questions regarding your condition. However, if you would like more specific information on your disease, we recommend you consult the following resources:

• Disease-specific brochures from the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society
• Additional information on the field of neuro-ophthalmology