This is an application to become one of the cooperating clinics in the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial. The ONTT consists of essentially two research components: (1) a clinical trial of the efficacy of oral prednisone and intravenous methylprednisolone in reducing residual optic nerve damage in patient with optic neuritis; and (2) a study of the natural history of optic neuritis. In this proposal we document our patient recruitment potential. Our group of ophthalmologists and neurologists saw 34 patients with optic neuritis meeting the listed study criteria within a 12 month period. The ONTT is chaired by Roy W. Beck, M.D. at the University of South Florida College of Medicine (cooperative agreement award #U01-EY07212-01). The Data Coordinating Center is directed by Patricia Cleary at the Biostatistics Center of George Washington University (cooperative agreement award #U01-EY07460-01).
