Abnormal Visual Evoked Potential

[Sparkysarah]

I have been meaning to ask this for a while. I had VEP tests done earlier this year that were abnormal and my Consultant did not say much about them than this and said not to worry abuot them as they were more a diagnostic tool than anything else.

To date I have had no visual symptoms so does this mean it is likely that this will happen at some point? I think I read somewhere that 80% of people with MS experience visual sx at some point.....  Also do some people actually lose vision completely in later stages? I appreciate that everyone's journey is individual but I just wondered if anyone can throw further light on this.  

I am not one to worry too much about what may be in the future as no-one knows this..but I would prefer to be prepared and informed as to what to expect based on facts e.g. is there any truth in the  80% statistic? If so then I prefer to think there is a 20% chance of not having visual sx....positive thinking

Love Sarah

[COBOB]

internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO) can be a cranial nerve issue (CN6 and CN8, I think) that effects lateral tracking of the eyes.  The typical symptom associated with INO is horizontal double vision.

Bulbar Optic Neuritis can cause a "pale edge" on the optic disk during a funduscopic examination.  This may be seen in about 40% on ON cases.  The other 60% cases *retrobulbar ON) will have no changes to the fundus,  The damage will be to the optic nerves, chiasm or optic tracts within the cerebrum of the brain.

The symptoms you describe seem more consistent with Optic Neuritis than with Internuclear Ophthalmoplegia.

Bob

[RedFlame]

Sarah,  it's good that you are able to keep a positive perspective of your Optic Neuritis.  I have heard of people experiencing blindness but I also heard that the blindness is only temporary.  

The prospect of that I think is not very common.

I just got a referral today for a Neuro-Opthalmologist.  My O.T told my doctor that I possibly have the vision cuts.  I am completely clueless in this area.  What do they do that is different the an optometrist.  

Red

[Sidesteps]

I was going to post a question about this ---

I am awaiting my referral to the ophthalmologist.  My neurologist picked up on internuclear ophthalmoplegia and mentioned I had ON in my exam on November 4th.

I think I still have the symptoms. My eyesight is fine but my eye feels "weird." The best I way to describe it is that it feels a bit "heavy" and my vision feels is off but it's not. I can't quite explain it. I have a slight headache near that eye, light sensitive and it seems to have some haze (that seems to be peripheal) to it but again my eyesight doesn't seem affected.

It's driving me nuts truthfully. Is this the internuclear ophthalmoplegia or the ON? I know you had a bought with ON. What did it feel like? I have not lost my eyesight.

[COBOB]

The VEP has many uses besides diagnosing MS.  It is a key in diagnosis Optic Neuritis since bout 60% of cases has no visible signs.  An abnormal VEP with a normal ophthalmoscopic exam is a clinical sign that there is evidence of cerebral demyelination.  

Bob

[meg321]

Hi Sarah,

as i remember, they only used the VEP test to diagnose my MS.  And I don't know the answer to your question, except that i have heard the same.

However, I do have eye problems, but noone has yet to address them. I had cateract surgery this year and my vision is perfect...or so they said.. And at first, like the first couple of weeks, it was good. Then it went dowhill..can't see good, and again my eyes hurt and my headaches seem to be right behind my eyes.

I am not sure what is caussing it though...its very mysterious.

hugs, meg