Optic Nerve Manifestations of Sarcoidosis

Abstract
THE FREQUENCY with which the nervous system is involved by sarcoidosis was first emphasized by Colover in 1948.1 Recent studies disclose that the nervous system may be implicated in up to 16% of all cases of sarcoidosis.2 Ocular involvement is more common, being encountered in about 30% of all cases.3-9 The fundus is involved in about 15% of cases of sarcoidosis6 and of these, in one third of the cases the optic disc is involved.5 Thus about 5% of cases of sarcoidosis will have demonstrable changes of the optic papilla. Patients with funduscopic manifestations of sarcoidosis not uncommonly have clinical evidence of nervous system involvement. Gould and Hauffman found that of 40 patients with abnormalities of the fundus due to sarcoid, one third had central nervous system (CNS) manifestations.7 This paper describes the clinical features in three patients with systemic sarcoidosis who had both