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. 2026 Feb;104(1):e84-e94.
doi: 10.1111/aos.17552. Epub 2025 Jul 22.

Unilateral optic neuritis and thinning of retinal layers in the affected and unaffected eyes

Sanna Leinonen  1   2 , Hanna-Mari Mäkelä  1   2 , Chi Li  3 , Leopold Schmetterer  3   4   5   6 , Jacqueline Chua  3   4   5   6
Affiliations

Unilateral optic neuritis and thinning of retinal layers in the affected and unaffected eyes

Sanna Leinonen et al. Acta Ophthalmol. 2026 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: Multiple sclerosis (MS)-related optic neuritis (ON) causes thinning of inner retinal layers. It remains unclear whether unilateral MSON also affects the unaffected contralateral eye. The purpose of this study was to compare macular retinal layer thicknesses in MS eyes with unilateral optic neuritis (MSON), their unaffected contralateral eyes and MS participants without a history of ON (MSnON).

Methods: This cross-sectional screening study included 101 MSON and 106 MSnON participants. Retinal layer thicknesses were measured using optical coherence tomography scans at the standardized zones of the macula (central circle, inner ring and outer ring) and compared between the groups.

Results: The unaffected contralateral non-ON eyes of MSON participants had thinner inner retinal layers including a thinner retinal nerve fibre layer (p values, 0.003-0.009), a thinner ganglion cell layer (p values, <0.001-0.006) and a thinner inner plexiform layer (p values, 0.004-0.012) compared to MS participants without a history of ON. Affected MSON eyes had thinner inner retinal layers compared to both unaffected fellow eyes and to MSnON participants (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Additionally, in MSON eyes, the inner nuclear layer and outer retina were thicker at the inner and outer rings compared to contralateral eyes (p < 0.001 for all comparisons), but not when compared to the MSnON participants.

Conclusion: We recommend bilateral examination, OCT imaging and follow-up for MS patients with unilateral acute ON to monitor also the contralateral eyes, which present with thinner inner retina layers than MSnON participants' eyes.

Keywords: multiple sclerosis; neuroretina; optic neuritis; optical coherence tomography; retinal layers.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Flow diagram of the included and excluded MS participants with unilateral optic neuritis and without optic neuritis. MS, multiple sclerosis; ON, with optic neuritis; nON, without optic neuritis; OCT, optical coherence tomography.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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