Dec. 13, 2025
As a scarce medical subspecialty, neuro-ophthalmology's dual focus on the intricate intersection of the brain and the eyes requires extensive and combined training in both neurology and ophthalmology. Ophthalmology at Mayo Clinic offers specialized care in neuro-ophthalmology, which offers patients a comprehensive evaluation and treatment with unique multidisciplinary teams.
"Many neurological diseases present with visual symptoms, which are often the earliest signs of an underlying condition. As neuro-ophthalmologists, we specialize in recognizing these manifestations and connecting them to the underlying pathophysiology," says Deena A. Tajfirouz, M.D., a neuro-ophthalmologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "Early diagnosis of many of these conditions is critical, as it can have significant implications for treatment, management and long-term outcomes. And because vision is such an important sense, neuro-ophthalmologic issues can really impact people's lives in many different ways."
Dr. Tajfirouz and her neuro-ophthalmology colleagues see a broad spectrum of neurological diseases that can range from defects of the neuromuscular junction, cranial neuropathies or inflammation of the optic nerves. Given the wide range and complexity of these conditions, Mayo Clinic offers coordinated multidisciplinary care and state-of-the-art ocular imaging and neuroimaging.
"Depending on the disease process, we commonly collaborate with a wide range of multidisciplinary teams, including neurosurgery, interventional neuroradiology, rheumatology, and various neurology subspecialties such as autoimmune, headache or behavioral neurology," says Dr. Tajfirouz. "Within ophthalmology, we work closely with retina specialists, pediatric ophthalmologists and oculoplastic surgeons."
Neuro-ophthalmic conditions treated at Mayo Clinic include:
- Multiple sclerosis.
- Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.
- Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated disease.
- Posterior cortical atrophy.
- Giant cell arteritis.
- Ischemic optic neuropathy.
- Idiopathic intracranial hypertension.
- Myasthenia gravis.
- Optic nerve and chiasmatic tumors.
Dr. Tajfirouz has a special interest in a rare presentation of dementia called posterior cortical atrophy. "We recently saw a 45-year-old patient with unexplained vision loss who had seen multiple physicians previously where a diagnosis was not made because her eye exam and MRI results were essentially normal," says Dr. Tajfirouz.
Common symptoms of posterior cortical atrophy include trouble reading, impaired depth perception and not recognizing objects. Over time this condition often progresses, resulting in cognitive decline.
Because the first symptoms are often visual, posterior cortical atrophy can be misdiagnosed. Neuro-ophthalmologists are uniquely trained to recognize the earliest signs. "Posterior cortical atrophy only affects the parts of the brain that are for visual processing, and the signs can be very subtle," says Dr. Tajfirouz.
While there are no current treatments to cure or slow the progression of posterior cortical atrophy, accurate diagnosis can help provide access to therapies and programs so that the patient can manage the condition. "While it can be a devastating diagnosis, it's an important one not to miss because it carries serious implications for people's lives," says Dr. Tajfirouz.
For more information
Refer a patient to Mayo Clinic.