vision loss

[lovemykids465]

Hello, In June my son went to the eye doc for a normal vision test. He passed with flying colors. In  October he got what we assumed was conjunctivitis. His doc put him on drops but they did not work, So he put him on another prescription and that did not work, it actually spread to the other eye, He sent him to an ophthalmologist who said it was not conjunctivitis and put him on a diff rent eye drop. this did clear it for a week ( said it was allergy related he assumed) but five days later it was back with a vengeance. He went back and was given a 4th drop and told he had some impaired vision probably due to the infection. Once it was cleared up he was given a prescription for glasses ( this was late November) He went back for a follow up last week and had even more vision loss, The doctor said he has swollen optic nerves in both eyes. He diagnosed papalliedema/ We took him to the Ross eye institution in Buffalo, NY. they say it is not papallidema and they ran many tests. He has to go back next week. They do not know the cause of the swelling. MRI and CT show no lesions or tumors, the tests of eyes and retina show all he vessels and that everything is right except for swelling and considerable vision loss. They want to do more testing and a lumbar puncture.  Could the swelling be due to the eye infection he had and what can be done about it?

[Houman Vosoghi, MD]

Unlikely that the "infection" is the cause of the nerve swelling.  There are many potential causes here including inherited optic neuropathies (Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, Dominant Optic Atrophy ), Infiltration of the optic nerve (they likely will do multiple tests to rule this out including blood tests), Optic Neuritis (would have expected the MRI to show something), Pseudotumor cerebri (sounds like they may have already decided it's not this), and systemic infections (likely they have already checked for these).  You are in good hands at the Ross Institute ( I went to medical school there and am familiar with some of the faculty).  Be patient and let's hope they can figure this out soon.  Please let us know what happens.

HV

[lovemykids465]

Can you have optic nerve swelling for no reason? And how will it effect your vision?

[lovemykids465]

They did not do any blood work while we were there but we did get some done today. ( we are 2 hours from Buffalo) so they should have the test results when we go back up.