Hereditary Optic Nerve Diseases and Cataracts: Treatment Strategies and Current Approaches

Hereditary optic nerve diseases include a group of optic nerve disorders that can be autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant, X-linked, or maternally inherited via mitochondria. These diseases, which cause loss of retinal ganglion cells and optic atrophy, lead to vision loss, dyschromatopsia, and central visual field defects. There are some points to be considered in cataract surgery planned for diagnosed patients due to other systemic organ involvements or for those who are not diagnosed but have a family history because it may reveal the underlying genetic condition. Here, we review recent knowledge on this subject, for which there is very limited information in the literature.