What is Optic Atrophy?

Any injuries, damage, or diseases affecting the optic nerve can trigger optic atrophy if untreated or untreatable. These include traumatic injuries, increased intracranial pressure, glaucoma, reduced blood flow—which can occur suddenly (e.g., under high stress)—or nerve compression (ischemia). Tumors near the eyes can also cause the condition, as can poisoning by alcohol, tobacco, quinine, arsenic, bromine, or lead. Additionally, there are some syndromes in which optic atrophy is a primary feature, including very rare hereditary diseases.

Early signs of the disease can include impaired color perception or slow adaptation of the eyes to changing light conditions. Clearer symptoms include visual field loss, loss of central visual acuity (e.g., seeing a haze), and even complete loss of vision.

Examinations of the retina using an ophthalmoscope and imaging techniques can confirm the suspicion of the disease. Treatment depends on the underlying condition. If the primary disease is treated early, the progression of optic atrophy can be slowed or stopped.

In conventional medicine, damage to the optic nerve is considered irreversible, meaning it cannot be undone. However, even when the optic nerve is damaged, patients’ vision can be improved using the SAVIR therapy. A clinical study has confirmed this. Small microcurrent impulses activate the retina and brain, enabling better processing of the remaining optical stimuli.

This works as follows: in addition to already dead nerve cells, small microcurrent impulses from the SAVIR therapy can reactivate still-living but inactive nerve cells in the retina, optic nerve, or brain. These active nerve cells can survive for a long time (“dormant”) because they receive enough oxygen (energy) to survive but not enough to process optical signals. When these silent nerve cells are reactivated by the SAVIR therapy, optical stimuli can be processed better again. As a result, alternating current therapy can significantly improve vision, allowing patients to see better.

This alternating current therapy is particularly effective for patients suffering from glaucoma. Read more here.

In a study, 82 patients whose vision was impaired due to optic nerve damage were treated for ten days either with alternating current (SAVIR therapy) or with a currentless placebo therapy. For the alternating current treatment, electrodes were applied near the eyes, and patients received very light electrical impulses through the electrodes for 40 minutes daily.

After just ten days of alternating current therapy, two-thirds of the study participants experienced a significant improvement in vision, as the neural network in the brains of the visually impaired reconnected. Additionally, cerebral blood flow improved. For example, the visual cortex in the occipital region could once again exchange signals with the frontal cortex in the forehead area. While the “primary damage” to the optic nerve (dead cells) could not be repaired, the “secondary damage” (“dormant” cells) could be addressed.

No risks or side effects of SAVIR therapy have been observed in the thousands of patients treated to date. The electrical impulses are so weak that they are barely noticeable on the skin. Patients may experience brief light flashes with their eyes closed during treatment, which are to be expected.

The electrical impulses are also significantly weaker than those of a pacemaker.