Definition:
Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), also known as Leber optic atrophy, is a condition that consists of the degeneration of the retinal ganglion cells (RGC) that leads to permanent loss vision. This disease is common among males.
Diagnosis:
Optical coherence topography is a procedure used to detect the onset of the disease.
Treatment:
The disease can be treated by special anti-inflammatory drugs. However, these drugs are still under trial observation to prove their effectiveness.
Symptoms and Signs:
Vision loss is the first symptom that develops in the disease. Weeks later, bundles of vessels that look like edemas are found in the eye.
Causes:
The disease is a caused by a genetic defect in the person’s mitochondria.
