Neurology

Neuro-Ophthalmology Service

The Department of Neurology's Neuro-Ophthalmology service at Brigham and Women's Hospital treats disorders involving the visual pathways and disorders of eye movement. The portion of the brain devoted to the various aspects of visual function is large and hence, vulnerable to the widest variety of neurological conditions. Disturbances of these important areas of brain function with the subsequent loss of visual function can be devastating to the well-being of the patient and require high-quality care.

The Team

Don Bienfang, M.D. Director of Neuro-Ophthalmology Department of Neurology Brigham and Women's Hospital Special Interests: - Double vision - Temporal (or Giant Cell) Arteritis - Papilledema - Plaquenil Toxicity

Marc Dinkin, M.D. Instructor in Neuro-Ophthalmology Associate Clerkship Director Department of Neurology Brigham and Women's Hospital Special Interests: - Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy - Pseudotumor and papilledema - Neuromyelitis optica - Vision loss due to pituitary tumor - Nystagmus and other abnormal eye movements

Disorders Treated

• Vision loss: Diagnosis and treatment of complex cases
• Optic nerve disease and dysfunction including optic neuritis
• Pituitary tumors
• Evaluation of double vision
• Nystagmus and abnormal eye movements
• Circulation disorders of the eye
• Disordersof increased intracranial pressure
• Disorders ofthe lids, including droopy lids
• Disorders of the pupils

For Medical Professionals

Neuro-Ophthalmology Fellowship

Publications

Don Bienfang, M.D.
Bienfang DC. Loss of the ocular pulse in the acute phase of temporal arteritis. ACTA Ophthalmol Suppl 1989;67(191):35-37.

O'Reilly GV, Hammerschlag SB, Berglund RM, Spark RE, Bienfang DC, et al. Pseudotumor cerebri: Computed tomography of resolving papilledema.

J Comput Assist Tomogr 1983;7:364-66. Lagreze, WD, Warner, JEA, Zamani, AA, Gouras, GK, Koralnik, IJ, Bienfang, DC. Mesencephalic Clefts with Associated Eye Movement Disorders. Arch Ophthalmol 1996;114:429-432.

Bienfang, DC, Coblyn, JS, Liang, MH, and Corzillius, M. HCQ Retinopathy Despite Regular Ophthalmic Evaluation: A Consecutive Series. J Rheum. 2000;27:2703-2706.

Tomsak, RL, Dell’Osso, LR, Rucker, JC, Leigh, RJ, Bienfang, DC, Jacobs, JB, Treatment of Acquired Pendular Nystagmus from Multiple Sclerosis with Eye Muscle Surgery, Followed by Oral Memantine Digital, Journal of Ophthalmology, February 25, 2006

Marc Dinkin, M.D.
Multifocal electroretinographic abnormalities in ethambutol-induced visual loss. Liu Y, Dinkin MJ, Loewenstein JI, Rizzo JF 3rd, Cestari DM. J Neuroophthalmol. 2008 Dec;28(4):278-82.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of bilateral simultaneous optic nerve infarctions. Klein JP, Cohen AB, Kimberly WT, Shah AS, Leiderman YI, Cestari DM, Dinkin MJ. Arch Neurol. 2009 Jan;66(1):132-3. No abstract available.

Abnormal eye movements in children. Dinkin MJ, Rizzo JF 3rd. Int Ophthalmol Clin. 2008 Spring;48(2):95-134. Review.

NMO antibody-positive recurrent optic neuritis without clear evidence of transverse myelitis. Dinkin MJ, Cestari DM, Stein MC, Brass SD, Lessell S. Arch Ophthalmol. 2008 Apr;126(4):566-70.

Chorioretinal scar growth after 810-nanometer laser treatment for retinoblastoma. Lee TC, Lee SW, Dinkin MJ, Ober MD, Beaverson KL, Abramson DH. Ophthalmology. 2004 May;111(5):992-6.Dinkin MJ, Rizzo JF III. Imaging of the Nerve Fiber Layer and Optic Disc, Springer Series' Pediatric Ophthalmology, Neuroophthalmology, Ophthalmic Genetics (Ed: Birgit Lorenz and Francois-Xavier Borruat). (2007).

Brass S, Dinkin M, Williams Z, Krishnamoorth K, Copen W, Freeman A. 16-year-old boy with paroxysmal headaches

Contact Us

Director: Don C. Bienfang, M.D.
Neuro-Ophthalmology Service
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Department of Neurology
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: (617) 732-7432
Fax: (617) 732-6083