Is there something they can do about lightning flashes?

[HoustonDogLove]

I went to the ophthalmologist the other day and the first thing the nurse did was dilate my eyes. So the dr. didn't get a chance to see my left eye react or not react like it did with the neurologist about a month ago. He said i have pale optic nerve and need allergy drops. and I have to come back this week, Is there something they can do about the lightning flashes or is it totally pointless to go back?  I would think if they were going to do something about it they would have given me something by now.

[jensequitur]

You should be looking at getting referred to the Multiple Sclerosis Program over at UT Houston.  If it's anything like UTSW, you're going to need to be referred by your treating physician or neurologist.

http://neurology.uth.tmc.edu/specialty-programs/multiple-sclerosis/patient-care.html

I don't know that they'll have access to optical coherence tomography, but if anybody has it in Houston, they will.

[COBOB]

Lighting flashes could be optic nerve, but the classic eye issues with lighting, sparks , and fireworks is a detaching retina.  Retro-bulbar Optic neuritis (a majority of ON) has a classic presentation with 2-3 days of pain followed by loss of brightness, loss of contrast, loss of color perception, and the development of a central sctoma.  Many cases of ON have no external signs that can be observed through a slit lap exam or with an ophthalmoscope.  The only way to detect the ON is with an MRI or VEP.  OCT may detect some ON, but doesn't have the sensitivity of VEP or MRI.

Drops and oral steroids usually can't get to the levels needed to reduce the inflammation of the optic nerve in the brain.  Once the optic nerve is damaged, you can hope for remyelination.  You also have to remember that we say "optic neuritis,"  but that term covers damage to the optic nerves, optic chasm, and/or optic tracts.  The VEP really can't tell where the latency occurs between your eye and the optic cortex.  

According to my MRI, the right optic nerve and the left optic tract both appear to be damaged.

Bob

[HoustonDogLove]

I think the doctor was good but the staff must have been stupid. They wanted me to come back today to see my eyes since they weren't dialated but I shouldn't have to make two trips and pay for two darn office visits so I cancieled. No ON pain although I had it for three days before the paraesthesia started and  ignored it because I though it was a migraine I didn't know it was related until after being diagnosed and getting on this site.. I had IVSM about a month ago but I wasn't seeing flashes then. No double vision. no migraine.  If the optic nerve is atrophied or on the way is there anything they can do about it? Do you think Neo-poly-Dex eye drops would help or are eye drops only for the surface of the eye?
Jen- Where would I go to to have something like that done?  
I am still waiting on Copaxone to be delivered/started maybe a week or two more hopefully.
Do yall think it would be worth asking the neurologist about doing IVSM before I start the Copaxone. Before I got into the neuro I also had paraesthesia in my feet and that also went away on it's own but now it's back. It's a bit different thought It was in only my toes and now its on the bottom of my feet but not my toes. It makes it kind of nice because I can't feel when my feet hurt from standing on them too long at work.

The Newbie
Lora

[jensequitur]

Hey, I think lightning flashes are a problem with the optic nerve.  It usually means there's some damage to the nerve itself.

A neuro-opthamologist wouldn't be a bad idea, but honestly there really isn't much they can do for optic nerve damage.  I have several of the flashes in my right eye - the original black/white spot from 2007 on bottom left, a flash of static across the top of the eye, and just recently a blue flash in the bottom center.  Pretty weird, huh?

So okay, you're in Houston.  Has anybody ever mentioned an optical coherence tomography test?  It measures the thickness of the optic nerve, and it's an excellent way to check for atrophy of the CNS.  

[COBOB]

I don't think much of your ophthalmologist, since he didn't examine your eyes prior to dilating them.  If you have a pale optic nerve, has either the ophthalmologist or the neurologist sent you from a VEP?  If you have active optic neuritis, IV Solumedrol 1 gm per day for 3-5 days followed by an oral taper dose is the normal therapy.  It may resolve the flashes if they are related to optic neuritis.

Bob