Potential Multiple Sclerosis and eyes?

[AllenP803]

Hey everyone, I'd like to go ahead and say that I'm a new user here; I would go through the introduction page but I'd rather do that once all the dust in my life settles down.

Although I'm writing this message because I'm honestly lost at this point, and was hopeful maybe others could help me out here.

Basically, to start things out, on new years I experienced an acute eye problem that showed up out of nowhere, there were no noticeable signs of any type of optical damage or anything. At this point, the symptoms were: initial sensitivity to light, as in it hurt me quite a lot to look at lights and such, vision was blurry and most of it was slightly dim compared to the other eye. The vision was also appearing as if I just exercised or stared at the sun for too long, as now everything seen in this eye appears to be almost like it leaves after images and flashes almost constantly. Could also see starbursts, etc.

Went to an ophthalmologist once, they exclaimed that I could have dry eye, and only performed the slit exam. After taking eye drops, the vision did not get any better, and thus I went to another ophthalmologist and they performed a more robust scan of the eyeball and stated that they couldn't see anything wrong with it and it SOUNDED like Optic Neuritis, and to check with my PCP to see if I had MS.

Well I performed an MRI and the scan found brain lesions typical of MS, not news I wanted but at least I got something to go on to help my problem. Now ever since, my vision has deteriorated further; now on top of the issues I had in one eye, both eyes are now looking through what seems to be heatwaves, long term that is. Depending on my lighting, I can see things pulsating at me, as well as rotating. These are all vision distortions, and the quality of my vision otherwise is highly unaffected. Also depending on lighting, I will also see a fan effect on light sources such as a candle light on a wall or something; it's like seeing the shadow of a high spinning fan flickering in my eyes, with it appearing more strongly in the already bothered eye.

Basically, does this sound like something MS/Optic Neuritis could do? Like initially I was more calm about the first set of issues but now it's almost overwhelming me, although I must say that the second set of problems only started when I was highly anxious and stressed out about my diagnosis, but now they won't go away. Any pointers or tips? Thank you.

[Txaamsm32]

im not sure if all experience it the same but when they said i had optic neuritis it was in my right eye and it was like looking through a desen fog or heavily frosted glass.
but i also suffer from light sensitivity so i avoid the sun like the plague lol. gives me migraines.
vision problems for me lasted 6-7 weeks and they offer a eyedrop with a steroid. said to help reduce imflamation. all they told me.
others can probably be more help.

[AllenP803]

In all honesty, I spoke to the neurologist's assistant about some of this and described everything as flickering, and when I did, he immediately signed me up for the steroid IV treatment. Do you think your treatment helped out significantly?

[Txaamsm32]

i live in a tiny out of the way village in bc canada the opthomologist i saw was two towns over and patient travel only covered one night there so i didnt' get to get the treatment.
got an appointment with a neurologist 8 weeks later an by that time my vision was semi normal. had some nerve damage in the upper part of my eye from the ON.
steroids aid in recovery so stay on it and it'll cut down recovery by quite a bit

[NHE]

Basically, does this sound like something MS/Optic Neuritis could do?

Optic neuritis involves inflammation of the optic nerve. It can often be seen directly in the retina via an ophthalmoscope. Did either ophthalmologist mention anything after they checked your eyes? For me, optic neuritis produced the standard fogged over vision like a pair of steamed over glasses.

[AllenP803]

Basically, does this sound like something MS/Optic Neuritis could do?

Optic neuritis involves inflammation of the optic nerve. It can often be seen directly in the retina via an ophthalmoscope. Did either ophthalmologist mention anything after they checked your eyes? For me, optic neuritis produced the standard fogged over vision like a pair of steamed over glasses.

On the initial visits to the ophthalmologist, back when I was just having the issue in one eye, they said that it sounded like Optic Neuritis but couldn't see any inflammation in the eyeball yet. My neurologist didn't comment much, but said I needed to get in the steroid IV(and he saw the MRI) so I'm somewhat assuming that he agrees with what everyone is saying about optic neuritis. However only reason why he decided, or rather pushed for the treatments was because I explained that things are now flickering.

[Snoopy]

I am rather confused about what you have written. Have you seen a Neurologist, not just spoken on the phone to one? Had a Neurological exam/evaluation? Officially been diagnosed with Optic Neuritis? Had other testing besides a brain MRI ?

[Scott1]

Hi,

I'd do the IV steroid. If you can stop the inflammation on your spine for a moment then the eye might recover. Staring into your eyes won't tell them much. This has much more to do with your spine than the eye itself. I had exactly what you described a few years back. The IV treatment doesn't cure it but it gives you chance.
Your eye has a lot of smooth muscle associated with it and the part of the nervous system related to it is called the autonomic nervous system which deals with involuntary movement in smooth muscle.

When ophthalmologists looked into my eye it looked normal but light sensitivity was a big issue. Do the IV. It won't rapidly change back but you need to address the inflammation in the spine. Then you need a more definitive investigation for possible MS.

Regards,

[AllenP803]

I am rather confused about what you have written. Have you seen a Neurologist, not just spoken on the phone to one? Had a Neurological exam/evaluation? Officially been diagnosed with Optic Neuritis? Had other testing besides a brain MRI ?

Yeah, I saw a neurologist. On the initial visit with them, I showed them the MRI and explained to them that the ophthalmologist stated that this "sounds" like ON, but they couldn't see anything wrong with my eyeball itself, including the lack of appearant inflammation. They asked me to make sure I don't have MS, and that's when I also had the MRI done and the lab results stated that I had the typical dawson finger lesion on my brain, which was typical of MS. So I was referred to neurologist whom saw the MRI and only commented that they need a spinal tap too, to make sure it wasn't something else. Only reason why he opted for steroid IV was because I called him and said that things were slowly worsening.

[Snoopy]

Thanks for the explanation AllenP803. Dawson's fingers are only seen in MS. IV steroids is the only prescribed medication to treat Optic Neuritis. Steroids might resolve an exacerbation (relapse, attack, flare-up) sooner but not necessarily. Steroids, whether used for Optic Neuritis or another type of MS exacerbation, will not change the outcome of the disease. Exacerbations can improve with or without steroids. The more steroids are used the less effective they can become. They also come with short term as well as long term side effects.

After giving you all of that information, I do hope your vision improves and soon.