The optic nerve, which transmits visual impulses to the brain, is likely to be damaged due to infection, trauma or other eye diseases. The Neuro-ophthalmology service at Aravind-Madurai treats patients with neurological diseases such as optic neuritis, diplopia, optic atrophy, temporal pallor, papilledema and ocular motor nerve palsies.

The clinic is equipped with both a CT scanner and an MRI scanner for diagnosis of any intracranial lesion. The special surgical procedure performed is optic nerve sheath decompression for papilledema, which is caused by pseudotumor cerebri and trans-sphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas.

The Neuro-ophthalmology department has registered about 10-15% of growth in terms of overall outpatient services across all the four hospitals. There has been an increase in the referrals over the last 1 year from General ophthalmologists, neurologists, neurosurgeons and other general physicians from both within the state and outside.