Question

A 22-year-old woman with acute visual loss in the right eye and pain with eye movement from optic neuritis due to multiple sclerosis is most likely to have which one of the following clinical findings?

1) Papilledema
2) Pale, swollen disc
3) Cherry-red spot
4) Retinal artery occlusion
5) Periorbital swelling and erythema

Answer 1

A 22-year-old woman with acute visual loss in the right eye due to optic neuritis from multiple sclerosis is most likely to exhibit a pale, swollen disc when her eyes are examined. Option A.

Step-by-step explanation:

The clinical finding most likely to be associated with acute visual loss and pain with eye movement due to optic neuritis in a 22-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis (MS) is a pale, swollen disc. Optic neuritis occurs when the optic nerve becomes inflamed, leading to symptoms such as pain with eye movement and vision loss. This inflammation can cause the optic disc to appear swollen and pale when examined through an ophthalmoscope.

This condition differs from papilledema, which is swelling of the optic disc caused by increased intracranial pressure. Cherry-red spots are often associated with retinal artery occlusion or certain metabolic disorders, whereas retinal artery occlusions themselves would cause sudden, painless vision loss. Periorbital swelling and erythema are typically related to inflammatory or infectious processes around the eye, rather than the optic nerve itself.