Meningiomas are frequent optic nerve tumours. Clinical symptoms are non-specific and tissue for pathological examination not readily available. The diagnosis is usually based on imaging.

This paper reports 20 patients. Most were middle-aged women (mean age: 47y). The optic nerve meningioma (ONM) often presented with visual dysfunction. Ophthalmological examination (visual acuity, visual fields, fundi) was abnormal in most patients. The gold-standard examination is MRI of the optic nerve with and without gadolinium using FAT-SAT sequences. Thirty per cent of lesions remained stable without treatment. Functional prognosis improved only with conformal fractionated radiotherapy, but the precise indications and optimal protocols remain to be specified.

53 references.