vision problems, swollen nerves in eye, linking fluidl

[jbaby217]

I went to the doctor bacause I was experiencing visions problems, I do wear contacts and eye glasses, I began seeing people and objects half way, blurred vision, lines are not straight anymore, all coming from the right eye, people look as if they had a half face. The optometrist sent me to a rentia specialist he stated it was not the rentia, he stated that i have leckage from a swollen nerve inside my eye, which is coming from pressure on the spine from fluid build up.  now he's sending me to a neurologist on 11/4.
I don't know whats going on or why.  Where did the fluid come from and where is the pressure coming from, whats going to happen, what will fix the problem?  I need some answers    

[Neuro Forum]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with your doctor.

Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history, it is very difficult to understand exactly what the eye doctor felt was wrong with your eye. "Leakage of fluid" is sort of nonspecific and could mean many things. However, I will try to provide you with some general information about some possibilities.

The symptom of experiencing people looking as if they have half a face is called a field cut. This could imply a problem in the retina, the optic nerve, or anywhere along the path that nerve fibers pass as they go from the eye to the brain.

One possibility is called optic neuritis. It is an inflammation of the optic nerve, the bundle of fibers in your eye that transmits information to your brain. The nerve looks swollen, as if there is fluid behind it. Symptoms include pain in the eye and vision loss. Color vision loss can also occur. Optic neuritis may be viral, may have no known cause, or may be a manifestation of multiple sclerosis. Most people who have one episode will recover their vision. If a diagnosis of optic neuritis related to multiple sclerosis is made, intravenous (IV) steroids are the treatment of choice.

Another possibility is papilledema, or swelling of the nerve due to high pressure of fluid in the brain. There are multiple causes of papilledema. One is called benign intracranial hypertension in which there is simply too much fluid in the brain; this occurs in overweight women on retina A and is associated with headaches. There is a treatment for this if that is the case. Other causes include tumors. Please understand I am not implying you have a tumor, but only that this is one potential cause of optic nerve swelling.

In general, many conditions that cause swelling or inflammation of the optic nerve are treatable and vision returns almost completely in many patients and partially in a few. The treatment depends on the cause.

There are several other potential causes that may in fact be unrelated to the brain or nervous system at all. I think it is a great idea to keep your appointment with your neurologist on the 4th, after he/she examines you and obtains a history, he/she may choose to order an MRI of the brain or other testing to help determine the cause of your symptoms.

Thank you for using the forum, I hope you find this information useful, good luck.

[Cath278]

Hi. I just read your post and wanted to wish you the best of luck on the 4th. I had a lot of similiar problems to you and was diagniosed in July this yr with IIH or BIH (as stated above). If you get a diagnioses of BIH get in touch with me, and a few others here.Between us all here we can answer any questions you might have.Its quite a rare illness and there is not a lot known about it.Hope all the testing goes well for you.Cath278

[jbaby217]

thank you for your observation, at least now I have some idea, and will beable to relate to what the doctor may say.  You were very helpful, if you don't mind will be contact you again once I see the neurologist.
Thank you so much
Janet