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Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic MeSH Descriptor Data 2026


MeSH Heading
Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic
Tree Number(s)
C10.292.700.600
C11.640.643
C14.907.601
Unique ID
D018917
RDF Unique Identifier
http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/D018917
Scope Note
Ischemic injury to the OPTIC NERVE which usually affects the OPTIC DISK (optic neuropathy, anterior ischemic) and less frequently the retrobulbar portion of the nerve (optic neuropathy, posterior ischemic). The injury results from occlusion of arterial blood supply which may result from TEMPORAL ARTERITIS; ATHEROSCLEROSIS; COLLAGEN DISEASES; EMBOLISM; DIABETES MELLITUS; and other conditions. The disease primarily occurs in the sixth decade or later and presents with the sudden onset of painless and usually severe monocular visual loss. Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy also features optic disk edema with microhemorrhages. The optic disk appears normal in posterior ischemic optic neuropathy. (Glaser, Neuro-Ophthalmology, 2nd ed, p135)
Entry Term(s)
Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
NAION
Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
Optic Ischaemic Neuropathy
Optic Ischemic Neuropathy
Optic Nerve Ischemia
Optic Neuropathy, Anterior Ischemic
Optic Neuropathy, Posterior Ischemic
Posterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy
NLM Classification #
WW 280
Previous Indexing
Optic Nerve (1966-1975)
Optic Nerve Diseases (1976-1995)
Public MeSH Note
96
History Note
96
Date Introduced
1996/01/01
Last Updated
2019/06/17
Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic Preferred
Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Narrower
Posterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Narrower
Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Narrower
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