Difficulties in diagnosing Leber's optic atrophy.

The lowered vision of a patient was attributed to an acute quinidine intoxication, although his condition differed from that of another patient with an acute quinine intoxication. Later, the uncle of the first patient showed lowered vision too, possibly due to a tobacco-alcohol neuropathy. Both uncle and nephew belonged to a family, in which Leber's hereditary optic atrophy occurred.