Optic glioma
Definition
Gliomas are tumors that grow in various parts of the brain. Optic gliomas can affect:
- One or both of the optic nerves, which carry visual information to the brain from each eye
- The optic chiasm, the area where the optic nerves cross each other in front of the hypothalamus of the brain
An optic glioma may also grow along with a hypothalamic glioma.
Alternative Names
Glioma - optic; Optic nerve glioma
Causes
Optic gliomas are rare. The cause of optic gliomas is unknown. Most optic gliomas are slow-growing and non-cancerous (benign) and occur in children, almost always before age 20.
There is a strong association between optic glioma and neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1).
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