Bilateral Optic Neuritis After Bee Sting

• Main Authors: Yusuf Türkyılmaz, Haluk Esgin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Galenos Yayinevi 2014-01-01
• Series: Türk Oftalmoloji Dergisi
• Subjects: Bee sting; optic neuritis; corticosteroid treatment
• Online Access: http://www.oftalmoloji.org/article_2337/Bilateral-Optic-Neuritis-After-Bee-Sting

Corneal edema, hyphema, lens dislocation, iris atrophy, cataract and glaucoma cases due to bee sting are frequently reported. Optic neuropathy developing after a bee sting is rarely reported. A 46-year-old man applied to our clinic with visual loss. He had a history of transient loss of consciousness and bilateral severe visual loss after a bee sting 10 days ago. His first diagnosis was myocardial infarction and coronary angiography was applied in a private hospital; the angiography was found normal. In our clinic, his best-corrected visual acuity was 0.5 in the right eye and 0.7 in the left eye. The diagnosis was bilateral optic neuritis, and 64 mg/day oral methylprednisolone treatment was applied. Visual acuity improved to 1.0 in both eyes 39 days later. Optic neuritis due to bee sting is a rare case that can cause severe visual loss and responds well to systemic corticosteroid treatment. (Turk J Ophthalmol 2014; 44: 72-4)