Walsh & Hoyt: Optic Atrophy

Optic atrophy is not a disease. It is a nonspecific morphologic end point of disease (any disease) that causes damage to ganglion cells and axons of the optic nerve. The term "optic atrophy" is, therefore, a pathologic generalization applied to an appearance due to degeneration of axons in the anterior visual system. Although the pathologist can determine optic atrophy by direct observation of histopathologic changes in the optic nerve, the clinical diagnosis of atrophy is usually based on ophthalmoscopic abnormalities of color and structure of the optic disc with associated changes in the retinal vessels and nerve fiber layer, and defective visual function that can be localized to the optic nerve.