Optic nerve injury after sudden traumatic rotation of the eye

Optic nerve injury is regularly accompanied by signs of local facial or ocular injury, fractures or unconciousness. The energy of the blow is thought to be delivered to the optic nerve directly by stretching and tearing and by shock wave forces and secondarily as sequelae of contusion. A case is described in which optic nerve injury is caused by a sudden traumatic duction of the eyeball, with all signs of local or systemic contusion missing. During observation the primarily healthy optic nerve head developed subtotal optic atrophy. This case strengthens the belief that the optic nerve is particularly vulnerable to streching, tearing and torsion.