A number of conditions may mimic the findings of optic neuritis.
Conditions that may mimic optic neuritis:
(1) congenital retinoschisis
(2) hematoma
(3) ischemic optic neuropathy
(4) papilledema
(5) serous or angiospastic retinopathy (with metamorphopsia)
(6) an expanding lesion of the anterior or middle cranial fossa (with central scotoma)
(7) tumor at the optic disc (neurofibroma, glioma, meningioma, metastatic carcinoma, other)
Lesions of the anterior or middle cranial fossa include:
(1) craniopharyngioma
(2) ectopic pinealoma
(3) meningioma
(4) metastatic carcinoma
(5) lymphoproliferative disorder (lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, plasmacytoma)
(6) nasopharyngeal carcinoma
(7) pituitary adenoma
