Walsh & Hoyt: Lyme Disease

Optic neuritis can occur in patients with Lyme borreliosis(Lyme disease). This disorder is a spirochetal infection that is transmittedthrough the bite of an infected tick. It can produce a multitude of ocular and neurologic findings, including both anterior and retrobulbar optic neuritis. The diagnosis of Lyme disease is made by serologic detection of infection or by finding the organism or its nucleic acidin the serum or CSF. Treatment with antibiotics is usually effective, particularly in the early stages of the disease. As with other systemic infectious processes that can cause optic neuritis, Lyme disease can also cause neuroretinitis. Lyme disease is discussed in detail in Chapter 56.