slightly enlarged optic nerve & stange symptoms

I have been struggling with strange eye symptoms for several years in one eye only.  Feels numb behind the eye and can feel as if eye lid is drooping but it's not.  GP has suggested it is migraine related (long time migraine sufferer).  2 months ago I had an eye check up and had the strange symptoms present for the first time during an eye exam.  My eye dr noted that the eye in question had a slightly enlarged optic nerve.  I had a visual field test today (symptoms still present and optic nerve still slightly enlarged)  The result of the visual field test shows loss of vision in the upper quadrant near the nose,  We are going to run the test again in a month to see if we get the same result. The pressure behind my eye is normal.  

I also received a new rx for glasses 2 months ago and noticed this week the blurring is returning to the right eye.  Can you tell me what could possibly be causing these symptoms and test results?  I am also interested to know if migraine can cause the optic nerve to enlarge slightly?

[Houman Vosoghi, MD]

You need to go see a glaucoma specialist (an ophthalmologist/ eye MD who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma) soon.  The two possibilities that must be ruled out/in are narrow angle glaucoma and normal tension glaucoma.  I don't see the point in running the test again in a month without doing other testing and evaluations.  The other less likely scenario may be a tumor or inflammatory process affecting the nerve.  Unfortunately, only glaucoma specialists routinely perform gonioscopy and evaluate optic nerves very carefully.  Are you currently seeing an ophthalmologist or an optometrist?

HV