A 15-year-old Sri Lankan boy presented with painless progressive vision loss in his right eye, followed by vision loss in his left eye within 3 months. There was no drug history or toxin exposure, or family history of vision loss. His parents were non-consanguineous. On examination, he could only perceive light. Fundoscopy revealed bilateral optic atrophy. Routine hematological and biochemical blood tests including inflammatory markers were normal.
Results
b) Leber hereditary optic neuropathy
Leber hereditary optic neuropathy is an inherited form of vision loss. Although this condition usually begins in a person’s teens or twenties, rare cases may occur in childhood or adulthood. Blurring and clouding of vision are generally the first symptoms of Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy. These vision problems may start in one eye or simultaneously in both eyes. This condition primarily impacts the central vision that is needed for detailed tasks like reading, recognizing faces, and driving.
