Optic Glioma in Children: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

An optic glioma is a type of non-cancerous or benign tumor that develops on the nerves that conduct visual information to your brain for interpretation. Although generally rare, optic gliomas are most likely to develop in children.

Location

• Optic gliomas can develop on any part of the optic nerve, including in the optic chiasm, the area in front of the hypothalamus where the optic nerves from each of your eyes cross.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of optic glioma in children include involuntary eye movement, bulging of one or both eyes, squinting, and diminished vision.

Features

• Optic gliomas are most likely to develop in children before the age of 20 and usually grow slowly, according to MedlinePlus.

Treatment

• In some cases, doctors utilize surgery to remove the optic glioma. When surgery is not possible, radiation and chemotherapy are possible treatments for children, according to MedlinePlus.

Complications

• For some children, optic glioma leads to complete blindness. If the tumor is successfully removed, there is a chance that vision may return.