Cuban epidemic optic neuropathy and its relationship to toxic and hereditary optic neuropathy.

The similarities and differences between toxic/nutritional and hereditary optic neuropathy and the pathophysiologic mechanisms that they have in common are described. This is based on data from the epidemic suffered in Cuba in 1992, which affected the optic nerves of many individuals and the experience of the authors in dealing with various toxic optic neuropathies, as well as Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy.