Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Eye Care Archive (Expert Forum)
Optic Neuritis Inquiry
Our Ask A Doctor Ophthalmology Forum is where you can post your question and receive a personal answer from physicians affiliated with the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Optic Neuritis Inquiry
by losinghope, Mar 24, 2007 12:00AM
My situation began almost four months ago. I was shopping at a department store one day and had difficulty seeing the price labels on clothing. At first, I thought my eyes were tired until later that night I closed my left eye and noticed that the bottom half of my right eye was blind. I asked a few people if something was in the eye and they could not see anything.
By day two the majority of the eye was blind.
Now I had lasik surgery in this eye twice in the past year (something went wrong with the first surgery, thus I had to have a second procedure to fix it) so obviously I thought it was related to this.
I went to my optometrist who sent me to the vision clinic at a local hospital the following day. They immediately suspected this was symptomatic of Multiple Sclerosis, thus I had CT and MRI tests. The tests came back negative for MS, although they found a small fissure cyst on my right temporal lobe. They said it is nothing to worry about although through my own personal research, a lesion on the brain greatly increases the chances of developing MS in the future.
They did ultimately conclude that I had retrobulbar neuritis (optic neuritis)
I find this quite the coincidence, as I had two lasik surgeries on this same eye and a few months later I contracted optic neuritis??
Anyway, the doctors did not give me any treatment as they said after the first 24 hour period steroidal treatments are ineffective. They also stated that the longer the eye remains in this condition, the less likely the eyesight will return as scar tissue continually envelopes the optic nerve during long bouts of damage/inflammation.
I am currently nearing four months and my eye does not seem to be improving and am extremely worried regarding my prospects.
Do you have any advice for me? Do you know of possible treatments whether medicinal or alternative?
Any help would be much appreciated
By day two the majority of the eye was blind.
Now I had lasik surgery in this eye twice in the past year (something went wrong with the first surgery, thus I had to have a second procedure to fix it) so obviously I thought it was related to this.
I went to my optometrist who sent me to the vision clinic at a local hospital the following day. They immediately suspected this was symptomatic of Multiple Sclerosis, thus I had CT and MRI tests. The tests came back negative for MS, although they found a small fissure cyst on my right temporal lobe. They said it is nothing to worry about although through my own personal research, a lesion on the brain greatly increases the chances of developing MS in the future.
They did ultimately conclude that I had retrobulbar neuritis (optic neuritis)
I find this quite the coincidence, as I had two lasik surgeries on this same eye and a few months later I contracted optic neuritis??
Anyway, the doctors did not give me any treatment as they said after the first 24 hour period steroidal treatments are ineffective. They also stated that the longer the eye remains in this condition, the less likely the eyesight will return as scar tissue continually envelopes the optic nerve during long bouts of damage/inflammation.
I am currently nearing four months and my eye does not seem to be improving and am extremely worried regarding my prospects.
Do you have any advice for me? Do you know of possible treatments whether medicinal or alternative?
Any help would be much appreciated
Doctor's Answer
by Forum-OD-MP, Mar 24, 2007 12:00AM
'I find this quite the coincidence, as I had two lasik surgeries on this same eye and a few months later I contracted optic neuritis??'
probably unrelated. lasik does not cause ON to my knowledge, at least i've never heard/read that anywhere.
'Do you have any advice for me? Do you know of possible treatments whether medicinal or alternative?'
generally vision loss that has sustained after 4 months is probably going to be permanent. the latest studies show that using steroids or not using steroids in bouts of ON has the same effect (or lack of effect). no statistical difference in treatment outcomes. and no, sorry...there is not any treatment at all past the 1st few days.
probably unrelated. lasik does not cause ON to my knowledge, at least i've never heard/read that anywhere.
'Do you have any advice for me? Do you know of possible treatments whether medicinal or alternative?'
generally vision loss that has sustained after 4 months is probably going to be permanent. the latest studies show that using steroids or not using steroids in bouts of ON has the same effect (or lack of effect). no statistical difference in treatment outcomes. and no, sorry...there is not any treatment at all past the 1st few days.
i was thinking that lasik surgery might help open up some of my vision - but am still researching this - and after reading this note im skeptical taht this would even work. any susggestions on this - would it help even a little?
One thing that did help me is i stay away from ASPARTAME AND SACHHARIN - and now at 44 i have not had any more "attacks" on my eyes since 35 It has been said that Aspartame (found in yogurts, diet drinks etc) mimicks MS symptoms
thanks
-