Chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuropathy

Chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuropathy (CRION) is a recently described recurrent optic neuropathy which is steroid responsive. Several features distinguish this entity from optic neuritis associated with demyelinating disorders and connective tissue diseases. The severe degree of visual loss, persistence of pain after onset of visual loss, and recurrent episodes are unique to this disorder. We describe here a patient who presented with recurrent episodes of painful visual loss, followed by resolution of deficits, over a period of ten years. He was diagnosed as isolated optic neuritis conforming to features of CRION.