[Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. The experience of 71 cases].

The purpose of the study is to point out the characteristic clinical, therapeutical and evolutive features in the acute ischaemic suffering of the optic nerve's preliminary portion. A retrospective study has been performed, on the patients with anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (AION), hospitalized in the Ophthalmologic Clinic from Cluj-Napoca, between 1986-1994: 71 cases. The main functional (visual field, visual acuity) and ophthalmoscopic aspects are analyzed, as their evolution after treatment. Results are significantly better if corticosteroids are systemically used (43.3% improvement of the visual field) than in their absence (17.07% improvement of the visual field). The high percentage of failures (70%) proves the absence of a therapeutical method to cure or bring a significant visual function's improvement in AOIN.