Late-onset Leber hereditary optic neuropathy

Background: While Leber hereditary optic neuropathy typically causes bilateral visual loss in the second through fourth decades, we highlight visual loss from Leber hereditary optic neuropathy in older patients to characterize the clinical features of this cohort. Design: Retrospective case series. Participants: Patients seen between January 2003 and July 2012 at Baylor College of Medicine and between April 2010 and July 2012 at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas. Methods: Patients with visual loss from genetically confirmed Leber hereditary optic neuropathy were identified via retrospective chart review. Main Outcome Measures: Clinical courses of patients. Results: Five patients with visual loss from genetically confirmed Leber hereditary optic neuropathy were greater than 60years of age at the time of visual loss (range 62-70years, mean 66.4±3.0). Conclusion: This series reinforces the importance of including Leber hereditary optic neuropathy in the differential diagnosis of patients of any age with optic neuropathy.