O optic neuritis diagnosisrevealed by actor Felipe Simas, is an inflammation of the eye nerve and can be the initial symptom of a rare autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system and can completely compromise vision.
In a video released on his social networks on Monday (29), the artist said that he discovered the condition when his vision became cloudy and blurry.
Today, I came to share with you a moment that affected our lives in an unexpected way. I, Felipe Simas, was diagnosed with and faced optic neuritis, a condition that may be one of the first signs of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) — a rare autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, particularly the optic nerve and spinal cord.
➡️ What is optic neuritis
Optic neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve and may be indicative of neuromyelitis optica (NMOSD), an autoimmune disease that has several stages.
NMOSD causes our body to create antibodies against myelin.
Myelin is a membrane made up of lipids and proteins. It is located around the axons, which transmit information from neurons to the brain. The main function is to accelerate nerve impulses.
When the body attacks itself, the result is inflammation that slows down or even interrupts the nerve impulse.
In the case of optic neuritis, the attack occurs in the optic nerve, affecting the person’s vision.
“When myelin is destroyed, the impulse becomes ineffective, causing neurological damage. In the case of the optic nerve, it manifests itself with blurred vision, difficulty seeing the contrast between colors and even loss of vision”, explains neurosurgeon Talita Sarti, from BP (Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo).
In addition to reaching the optic nerve, it can also affect the spinal cord. In this region, the attack reduces nerve impulses and the result is tingling in the limbs (legs and arms) and motor difficulty.
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