Abstract:
Objectives: To assess optic nerve changes in patients receiving anti-tuberculosis drugs and to assess optic nerve changes
at different time intervals of therapy.
Study design and settings: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2021 to November 2021 in
Madinah Teaching Hospital, Faisalabad.
Methodology: 200 eyes of 100 patients receiving anti-tuberculosis therapy since 2-month, 4-month, 6 month and 8 months
were taken. Patients did not have any systemic disease other than Tuberculosis. Indirect Ophthalmoscopy was performed
to assess changes in fundus and optic nerve head. Optical Coherence Tomography was performed for assessment of retinal
nerve fiber layer thickness and cup to disc ratio. Data was analysed by using descriptive statistics and chi-square test with
SPSS version 20.
Results: In 2 months there was 16(66.66%) normal fundus, 8(33.33%) glaucomatous optic disc cupping. In 4 months, there
was 12(15.38%) normal fundus, 16(20%) optic atrophy, 16(20%) optic neuropathy, 4.00(5%) optic neuritis and 30(38%)
glaucomatous optic disc cupping. In 6 months, there was 7(21%) normal fundus, 4(12.5%) optic atrophy and 21(50%) optic
neuropathy. In 8 months, there was 24(36%) optic atrophy, 34(51.5%) optic neuropathy, 4(6%) optic neuritis and 4(6%)
Glaucomatous optic dis cupping (P 0.00). Result of this study also shows that retinal nerve fiber layer thickness is normal
in 83(41.5%), increase in 4(2.0%) and decrease in 113(56.5%).
Conclusions: This study concluded that anti-tuberculosis drugs responsible for optic nerve changes and severity of optic
nerve changes increase when duration of therapy increases.
