- Optic gliomas are tumors that grow on one or both of the optic nerves or in the optic chiasm. The optic nerves carry visual information to the brain, and the optic chiasm is the area where the optic nerves cross each other.
- MedlinePlus reports that optic gliomas are rare and the cause is unknown. However, a strong association exists between optic gliomas and neurofibromatosis-1, an inherited condition in which nerve tissue tumors grow in and under the skin and on the nerves from the brain and spinal cord.
- Most optic gliomas grow slowly, are not cancerous and occur before age 20.
- Possible symptoms of optic glioma include involuntary eyeball movement, bulging eye, squinting and vision loss that can lead to blindness.
- Treatment of optic glioma depends on its size and the general health of the person. According to MedlinePlus, the treatment goal may be to cure, to relieve symptoms, or to improve vision and comfort. Surgery can get rid of many tumors, but some tumors return. When surgery is not possible, other options are radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
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