Optic Neuritis...how long until my vision is back?

[labwrkr]

Hello forum!

I was diagnosed with MS August 2007, and am currently in the middle of my first case of ON.

Around two weeks ago, Feb 16th to be exact, I began having an episode of Retrobulbar Optic Neuritis. My regular opthamologist confirmed what I thought was going on a week later, we both were in contact with my neurologist the next day, and I was started on SoluMedrol on Feb 25. You guys can probably guess the course of steroids, but it was three days of IV SoluMedrol, followed by a 14-day tapering off with oral prednisone, of which I'm still taking.

My question is, when will my normal (or near normal) vision return? With my previous relapses (I've had two, both diplopia, one also had Lhermitte's), I did not receive steroids at all, and the double vision cleared in about a month, give or take a week, with some lingering double vision at certain times during the day. I was hoping that I would experience a very rapid recovery from the ON considering I took steroids this time. The infusion nurse told me that some people experience an almost immediate benefit from the steroids, but I've noticed....not "zero" benefit, but really not that much relief so far. In the last day or two, my colors are getting slightly better, I can kind of make out the letters on red exit signs for example, but it's still very bad. Is it just a luck of the draw as to who may get their vision back really fast, and others have to wait a month or months?

Thanks in advance!

[Eyesnlegs]

Hi labwrkr

I have had ON twice now and have not taken steroids on either occasion as my doc told me that they do not affect the long term outcome anyway simply help in the short term. I managed with very strong painkillers instead.

With my first bout of ON about 19 years ago my eyes took almost a year to recover but left me with some visual problems in the left eye. The second episode was 5 years ago and my sight is still very poor in that eye and I have double vision almost daily, flashing lights, moving objects, etc.

The reason for my post is not to worry you but to try to demonstrate that the outcome and the length of recovery are very different for each of us and my guess is that yours will get better as most do very slowly, we all heal at different rates.

It is a horrible time when you have problems with yoru eyes and it can be very painful too, so just to let you know that we all feel for you with this..

Best Wishes for a speedy recovery
Pat

[Lulu54]

Hi labwrkr,
I can't even venture a guess when your ON will be greatly improved but I do know you did the right thing by contacting the doctor and getting on solumedrol.  I hope you will be seeing better soon.

my best, Lu

[novakf]

I had retrobulbar ON which started Mid-August last year. By October it was only slightly improved so I took a belated course of oral steroids. By the end of the course there was no improvement, but by mid-January my vision was almost back to normal. Not 100% even now, but barely noticeable most of the time.

So I guess that was 4 months to maximum improvement! Really a lot longer than I expected, they usually say 8 weeks or 2 months.