1. 110 cases of optic atrophy from 7 months to 67 years old,, 82 bilateral with 28 unilateral involvement observed at the National Medical Center in Korea between 1959 and 1961 were analyzed for etiologic factors which were also based on a review of literature.
2. Of the 110 cases, the largest single cause of optic atrophy of all type was brain tumor (18 cases, 16,4%) with exogenous poisoning (11 cases, 10%) second in frequency.
3. Cases of atrophy due to tuberculous meningitis (10 cases, 9.1%) were found in the age group of one to 15 years as the most frequent cause in childhood.
4. The retrobulbar neuritis was one of the most frequent causes (9 cases, 8.2%) in the adult. Also the traumatism (8 cases, 7.3%) as to the prevalent causes of post war blindness.
5. A characteristically low incidence of syphilis (4 cases, 3.6% without congenital syphilis) as the cause of the optic atrophy is one of the subject to be evaluated in the future.
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