Optic neuritis of my right eye

[HOSSAM2010]

Dear All,

kindly see hereunder my eye History problem

History: i felt an ache on my right eye with headache for 2 to 3 days then i took an analgesic to relieve the headache, but still i felt a pressure on eye ( ach on the eye ball) after 3 days of that, i suddenly realized that my right eye vision is blurring and i couldn't see the near or the far things clearly, so i went directly to the ophthalmologist, he checked for my eye and ask for florescence ray on the right eye, he checked and said that the retina is good and may be there is a retrobulbular neuritis!! or MS ( Multiblescelerosis) so he asked me to make MRI on both brain and orbit ( both are normal and dosn't show any  abnormalities ) , i made too a visual field which showed abnormalities in the right eye vision.

Another consultation  : after they saw the MRI, he said the MRI is good and didn't show abnormalities or lesions ,  the diagnosis also was towards retrobulbular neuritis( by exclusion)
i admitted to the hospital for 3 days to get IV infusion by solu-medrol 1000mg / day then followed by 12 days of hight dose predinesolone (80mg/ day for 3 day then 60mg/ day for 3 day , then 40 mg/ day for  3 day then 20 mg /day another 3 days)

Now i just finished the steroids treatment after two week.....NO IMPROVEMENT AT MY RIGHT EYE.

The doctor said you should follow up next month and make another MRI after one month to see if found any progression of MS!!

i want to know:

is my case a RETROBULBULAR NEURITIS due to MS or not?

could the MS causes RETROBULBULAR NEURITIS without appearing in the MRI?

2nd: Could it be no improvement in RETROBULBULAR NEURITIS with that regimen of high dose steroids?? what is the prognosis if it is RETROBULBULAR NEURITIS ?


Thank you in advanced

Hossam

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

MS usually show lesions in the brain on MRI.  I do not know how often retrobulbar neuritis from MS show no MS lesions on MRI.  A repeat MRI will be helpful.

There are other causes of retrobulbar optic neuritis.

I believe most ophthalmologist do not believe steroids help.  However, most try since there are no other treatments.

Dr. O.