Optic Neuritis?

I had to leave work early because my vision was so bad I couldn't see the computer screen, anything in print, people's faces, and prepared to have my husband pick me up and drive me straight to the opthamologist.  I couldn't see anything because I had my left contact in wrong (silly me) and the right eye was just plain messed up (glasses didn't correct the right eye problem, though).  

By the time I got a sub, I noticed my vision was improving.  When I got to the opthamologist's office, it improved almost back to normal--I had only a slight decrease in vision.  Upon examination, there wasn't anything he could find wrong with the optic nerve, but told me to get in touch with my neurologist.  I tried calling, and left a message for my neurologist to call me back which of course I missed when I left my phone in the other room to use the restroom (tried calling back but they were gone for the evening).

I don't know what to think of this.  I still have pain in my eye.  Plus, my vision has been going in and out all day today.  So, I have some questions for all my dear medhelp friends that may know of anything to help me.  

Isn't it more typical to have the vision stay bad when you have ON?  
Have any of you had vision go in and out like this?  
The vision is typical of when I experienced when I had it the last time--just like looking through Vaseline.  The pain is dull and behind the eyeball.  
Does this sound like optic neuritis, or something else?

As I write this, my vision has been going to clear to blurry, and clear again.

Thanks for your help,
Deb

[charmed6418]

That was my second initial symptom before my diagnosis of MS. I had a sharp pain behind my right eye a few days before my vision became very dim. It lasted for about 6 months then it went away and came back months later. There is no pain now though,  there still is a slight visual difference compared to my left eye. But it is much better, before i could barely see out of it. I noticed it would get worse when I was stressed or coming out of a hot shower. Since I've been on Copaxone the optic neuritis came back for a few months and then it went away. That was about a year ago, I haven't had a relapse since. I'm so glad to be here talking with you and everyone else about our problems :)

[Deb61]

I'm glad to talk with others on this forum, too!  MS is so weird at times and it's hard to sort through things.  

I'm on Copaxone, too.  I've been on it for about 1 year and 8 months.  I'm way more mobile now that I was over a year ago.  My vision, has been another story.  I had optic neuritis last summer in the right eye.  My vision did clear up for a while, but here I am again with the right eye acting strangely.  

I don't know if it's the heat--I can't tell.  Maybe I'm getting more and more heat sensitive.  That could be an explaination.  How long does the heat effect your vision?  Is it blurry for hours?  

I do have some pain in that eye, though.  It's not really bad though.  A coworker commented on the pupil of my eye being big and looking strange when I said that I had to leave work and get someone to cover my classes.  I can't tell because the opthamologist dialated my pupil in my right eye this morning.  It's still dialated, though.  

MS usually leaves me perplexed.  ?????!!!!!!  I can never tell anymore what's normal or even what's normal for someone with MS.  Thank goodness for a place like this to talk!

[steph74]

I've never been checked for ON (though my neuro checks the optic nerves).  I have a problem with *both* eyes where I will periodically have very blurry vision (not both at the same time).  It's not dry eyes, it's not contacts/glasses--maybe migraine???  My vision gets very blurry and reading and looking at the computer is difficult.  There were a few months where it was happening 2-3 times a day for ~30-60 minutes at a time.  It actually seems to be slowly resolving now, though, because it's happening less frequently and for shorter periods.

I haven't been back to the neuro in this period, and I will probably mention it when I go back, but it just seems so random, and doesn't last.  It doesn't feel like a "real" sx.  

This probably isn't helpful because I don't have any answers, but I've had something similar.

Stephanie

[charmed6418]

My eyes have been ok, its been fine this year. if they do get blurry it lasts for a few months.

[sllowe]

Does sounds like the ON again Deb. Did the neuro call you back? Did Optha mention anything about marcus gunn pupil?

Questions, questions, sorry for them all.

Hope you've gotten a good once over by your doc since you posted this....

-shell

[Deb61]

Well, I couldn't get in touch with the neurologist.  We have been playing phone tag for several days.  My neuro does a lot of traveling (with his nurses and assistants) and isn't in the office a couple of days a week, and I teach classes and can't use the phone when I teach.  I will discretely place it in my bra next time, though!  I just hope I don't jump into the ceiling when it vibrates!  

I'm doing better.  The dull ache has gone away, and I've not noticed any pupil differences.  The opthamologist couldn't assess the pupil issue because the assistant had already dilated my eye before the opthamologist saw it (in which he commented that he wished that wasn't done until he looked at my eyes).  I still have a little blurriness and contrast and color differences between my eyes, but I am no longer worried because it isn't even close to what it was doing before.

Thanks for everyone's concern.  I think that this thing isn't what I thought it was.  The last time I had ON seemed to linger forever.  

I hope the weekend is going well for you all.

Deb

Deb