Congenital or infantile autosomal recessive optic atrophy is rare. The autosomal recessive syndrome of optic atrophy associated with diabetes is less rare. Dominant juvenile optic atrophy occurs frequently. Behr's heredo-familial optic atrophy, with its neurological mainfestations and its recessive autosomal inheritance, is rare. Sex-linked optic atrophy is exceptional. Leber's optic neuritis occurs frequently. Its heredity is apparently sex-linked, but no classical mode of transmission can be applied. Cytoplasmic heredity is the most probable.