Paraorbital-Occipital Alternating Current Stimulation Therapy for Optic Neuropathy (MCT_optnerve)

Multicenter Study of Paraorbital-Occipital Alternating Current Stimulation Therapy in Patients With Optic Neuropathy

Aim is to validate that non-invasive brain stimulation can increase cortical excitability in the visual system. The investigators assess if transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) can improve visual field size in patients with optic nerve damage. Hypothesis: tACS would improve visual functions within the defective visual field (primary outcome measure).

In addition, the correlation between the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or other plasticity markers are correlated to the improvement of the visual field after stimulation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients with optic nerve lesion
• stable visual field defect with residual vision
• lesion age at least 6 months
• age at least 18 years
• no completely blindness, residual vision still existent

Exclusion Criteria:

• electric or electronic implants, e.g. heart pacemaker
• any metal artefacts in head and truncus
• epilepsy
• auto-immune diseases in acute stage
• mental diseases, e.g. schizophrenia etc.
• unstable diabetes, diabetes causing diabetic retinopathy
• addiction
• high blood pressure (max. 160/100 mmHg)
• instable or high level of intraocular pressure (i.e. > 27 mmHg)
• retinitis pigmentosa
• pathological nystagmus
• presence of an un-operated tumor anywhere in the body
• pregnant or breast-feeding women
• photo sensibility
• Fundus hypertonicus
• acute conjunctivitis