Demyelinating optic neuritis (DON) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, which can lead to visual loss in young adults as a major factor. The key points concerned by neuro-ophthalmologists are to reduce the rate of recurrence and improve the prognosis in the course of diagnosis and treatment of DON. Companied with the deep research of diagnostic markers, different classifications and therapies, and evidence-based medicine, there are more and more clinical evidences for the development and standardization of evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis and treatment. According to the routine procedures, the expert steering committee, the guideline development group, the external review expert group and the working group were established. The clinical concerns were collected directly from neuro-ophthalmologists, ophthalmologists of other subspecialties and neurologists. The guideline development group comprehensively searched and systematically evaluated the relevant research evidence at home and abroad, analyzed the preferences and values of patients, and organized the expert consensus meeting. Sixteen recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of DON were formulated, including classification and diagnosis, therapies in acute and chronic phases, and the follow-up management, which has important guiding significance for the improvement of clinical treatment and reduction of the recurrence rate. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57:171-186)

Optic neuritis; Neuromyelitis optica; Practice guidelines as topic; Evidence-based medicine