How many Lyme sufferers had a bout of Optic Neuritis?

[Sircharles17]

Just a poll. I've had bouts of numbness in my legs and hands. Joint pain and popping. I also had a bout of optic neurits. Of course the neurologist are assuming MS. My GP reviewed all my test and symptoms and believes it to be Lyme. Please post if you had optic neuritis caused by lyme.

[JackieCalifornia]

I'd be sure to keep up regular appointments with the ophthalmologist on whatever frequency the doc suggests.  Once a year is pretty normal in somebody who's healthy, but your doc might want to see you more often for a while.  What's worse, going blind or finding a parking place at the doc's office?

[LazyMoose]

My eye Dr for glasses is and actual eye MD, not a optician . So I guess thats an ophthalmologist.

I asked her about that last year. What I was told is if vision is lost in both eyes (darkness, not width or depth) is a "short" or disruption in the optical nerve in front of the hypothymous gland.

If it was one eye, it would be after that one nerve branches to to each eye.

She agreed Lyme is scary. That was it, since I reclaimed my vision.

[LazyMoose]

No, and that was 8 years ago when it happened, before I was D'xed.

Now I know I had lyme starting 25 yrs ago.

I just when to a regular Dr a couple days after.

You can guess what he said,....... "you can see now so your fine".

Nothing else was done. What could / would an ophthalmologist do now, since I can see?

[JackieCalifornia]

have you seen an ophthalmologist?

[LazyMoose]

I woke to darkness in the past. Just like night.

So technically, I was blind. Luckey it was only one day.

I did not bump my head or anything else either.

Every part of my body was going nuts that month, thought death was near.

A friends friend is blind forever in one eye after lyme.

[nutrinut_bob]

If seeing halos around street lights, up and down doubles of reflective signs and traffic lights is optic neuritis, then count me as a positive in your poll.  There is a question however about just what caused mine.  I would guess it has something to do with the lump I have at the base of my skull and top of my spinal column.  It's where ticks were pulled off me 50+ years ago, but that could be just coincidence, pssh fat chance.

[mojogal]

I went to a Lyme aware retina specialist. He knows mine is from Bartonella.  I take drops everyday for it.

[JackieCalifornia]

And one more thing:  after I had finally been diagnosed with Lyme and was in treatment (with antibiotics), I went to see my ophthalmologist for an annual check up.  Because of all the trash talk I had gotten from the other 2 dozen MDs I saw on my journey to a Lyme diagnosis, I was fairly beaten down and presented my comments to the opth. in an apologetic fashion.

He stopped me and said, "I am glad you told me.  Lyme can definitely affect the eyes, and it is important to keep close watch."  Wow!!!  I have heard from others that their ophthalmologists were often similarly inclined.  My eyes were fine and I had no problems, but it was great peace of mind to know the ophth. took it seriously.

So I would be *sure* to see an ophthalmologist --  not an optician or an optometrist, but an ophthalmologist (= MD).

[JackieCalifornia]

I just googled

    --- lyme disease causing optic neuritis ---

(there are also other similar suggested searches that came up, but this seemed a good start).

Results:  94,300 results.  Hmm.

First hit is from the Mayo Clinic, and the third one is from NYC's Columbia University Medical Center.  Neither of those is anything to disregard out of hand.

Neurologists are very prone to deny the possibility of Lyme, and I personally would find a Lyme specialist for a second opinion before proceeding.