AIM: To determine the long-term effect of methylprednisolone's shock therapy in idiopathic demyelinated optic neuropathy.

METHODS: The data of 81 cases(104 eyes)diagnosed with idiopathic demyelinated optic neuropathy were retrospectively analyzed. The cases were divided into group A and group B. Group A were applied methylprednisolone to aid in trophic nerve and expansion blood vessels' drug therapy, group B were applied only trophic nerve and expansion blood vessels' drug therapy. The two group's eyesight, visual field and visual evoked potential's change and recurrence rate were observed after 1 year, 2, 5 years respectively.

RESULTS: There was no significant difference of eyesight improvement, vision improvement and visual evoked potential recovery between two groups at each observation time point(P>0.05). From the beginning of this disease till five years, group A's recurrence rate was been much lower than group B. There was statistical significant difference(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The methylprednisolone's shock therapy can reduce the recurrence of the patients.