Optic neuritis associated with multiple sclerosis in Koreans

There have been few reports on the visual prognosis of optic neuritis (ON) associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Asians, although previous reports have suggested a racial effect. Therefore, in this study we focused on the assessment of visual prognosis of ON associated with MS in Koreans. Sixteen Korean patients who were diagnosed with ON associated with MS between 1992 and 1998 were enrolled in this study. Two groups were identified: clinically diagnosed MS (CMS) and laboratory-supported MS (LSMS). Of the 16 patients, nine were CMS and seven were LSMS. All patients experienced recurrent ON; the patients with CMS tended towards more recurrent ON than those with LSMS (4.1:2.8). Visual acuity at the final follow-up was 20/40 or better in 33% of CMS and 70% of LSMS. Final visual acuity in Korean patients with ON associated with MS was worse than the result in other studies to date. One risk factor influencing visual outcome in ON associated with MS may be the recurrence of ON. These results have important clinical implications for the assessment of ON associated with MS in Asians.