Optic Nerve

Hello my mom has been having problems with her eyes hurtingand in her right eye everything looks gray.  She went to the eye doctor and he said that her optic nerve was really swollen in her right eye so he sent her to get an MRI.  He started treating her for Lyme Disease until the blood results came back because that is what he suspected.  The blood results came back negative for Lyme Disease so now we don't really know what is next.  She also has ringing in her ears and she is tired and she is losing weight.  Her MRI came back normal.  What do you think?  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I think its not Lyme's disease and that there are many other things it could be. She needs to see an Eye MD ophthalmologist, not a non-physician limited scope optometrist.

Consider a second opinion ASAP. If a neuro-ophthalmologist is available that would be even better.

There is some urgency to make sure she does not have temporal arteritis because it can affect the other eye. Tests include Sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein and possibly temporal arter biopsy.

Other common problems: anterior non-arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy, retinal artery and vein occlusions.

JCH III MD