Visual consequences of medications for multiple sclerosis: the good, the bad, the ugly, and the unknown

Abstract

Heather E Moss1,2 1Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA; 2Department of Neurology & Neuroscience, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA Abstract: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with vision changes both due to MS effects on visual pathways and due to medication effects on the visual pathways. Distinguishing the causes of vision change are critical to appropriate diagnosis and management. The incidence, presentation, and treatment of fingolimod-associated macular edema, alemtuzumab-associated thyroid orbitopathy, and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in MS patients are reviewed. Evidence for beneficial effects of acute, chronic, and symptomatic MS medications on vision is presented. Keywords: macular edema, thyroid eye disease, optic nerve, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, optic neuritis

Keywords

• macular edema
• thyroid eye disease
• optic nerve
• progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
• optic neuritis