Optic nerve - headaches

[Kera109]

Hi everyone. I am a 33 year old female. My last 2 eye exams, my doctor told me I have an enlarged or swollen optic nerve, I can't remember which and asked me if I have headaches. At the time, that answer was No. He told me to report back to him immediately if I ever developed bad headaches.

Fast forward to this last Friday, I woke up in the morning with a severe, debilitating headache. I had to call my husband home from work, which j would never ever do unless it was a must. I could not take care of our 4 year old because I could barely open my eyes. I vomited, I thought from the pain, and continued to have dry heaving... Which intensified the headache soooo much. I went back to bed, slept until 5 pm and had a dull headache the rest of the night.

Yesterday I had to attend my little sisters sweet 16 surprise party. I felt very "off". Can't really explain it. I began to get another headache later in the day... No where as severe as Friday but still, a bad headache.

Today, I feel alot of pressure on/in my head... The top and the sides, the back and the forward. I have another mild headache, and my vision blurs for a few seconds at a time, almost like a film is over my eyeballs.

Any ideas? I called my eye doctor but he doesn't have an emergency number. I am worried and will follow up when he is in on Tuesday. It is very unlike me to get headaches, let alone the type I had Friday and the constant ones since then. I just don't know what to think in regards to the optic nerve situation.

Thank you for your time in reading this!!!

[Kera109]

Thanks so much Doctor. I appreciate your time.

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

You should see the ophthalmologist first. You can Google causes of increased intracranial pressure.

Dr. O.

[Kera109]

Thank you so much for your reply. I have an appointment to see my eye doctor tomorrow morning. Is seeing him a food start or should I be seeing my family physician?

What are the causes of this condition?

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

You need to see your doctor.  You need to have complete work with MRI scans if indeed you have swollen optic nerves.  This indicated an increase in pressure in your brain.  The are many cause, many very serious.

Dr. O.