Neuromyelitis optica can't be cured, though long-term remission may be possible with the right management. NMO treatment involves therapies to reverse recent symptoms and prevent future attacks. NMO is also known as neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder or Devic's disease. It occurs when your body's immune system reacts against its own cells in the central nervous system, mainly in the optic nerves and spinal cord, but sometimes in the brain. NMO is a potentially fatal disease in which the immune system attacks cells in the optic nerve and spinal cord, leaving some patients blind and/or paralyzed. ... But in the case of NMO, the antibodies stick to parts of the nervous system. The age a person is when they first experience the condition also contributes. Relapsing NMO normally leads to permanent vision loss, paralysis, or muscle weakness within 5 years. Respiratory failure as a result of the condition can be fatal in 25 to 50 percent of people with NMO. Devic's disease is an inflammatory condition that affects the protective covering of spinal cord and optic nerves. It is also known as neuromyelitis optica (NMO). ... Demyelinating diseases target this covering. The condition is extremely rare, affecting between 0.052 and 0.44 in every 100,000 people worldwide.