To investigate the clinical manifestation and response to high-dose steroid therapy in Korean optic neuritis patients.

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 13 patients diagnosed with optic neuritis who were treated with high-dose steroid and who were followed-up for more than three months in Seoul National University Hospital between January 2005 and December 2008.

Pain on extraocular movement (EOM) and disc swelling were observed in 61% (8/13) patients diagnosed with optic neuritis. Visual acuity (VA) improved to more than 20/40 in 77% (10/13) of patients after high-dose steroid therapy. The patients who resolved within one month recovered VA a mean of 18 days after onset. The recovery period had nothing to do with the initial time of high-dose steroid therapy.

Pain on EOM was less frequently observed and disc swelling was more frequent in Korean patients than have been reported in Caucacian patients. The recovery period of optic neuritis was not influenced by the initial time of high-dose steroid therapy.