Hello,
I just suffered a stroke on my right optic nerve on May 15, 2016. In 12 days, I lost my vision on my right eye. I went from seeing an ophthalmologist, to a retina specialist, to a neuro-ophthalmologist (a neurologist just for the eye). This latest specialist was the one who diagnosed me with "Ischemic Optic Neuropathy", or stroke on my optic nerve. I went through numerous tests: two MRI's to rule out MS, blood count test, clotting of the blood, ultrasound of the carotid arteries, Lyme disease, even a biopsy to rule out "Temporal Arteritis". I also took 60 mg. of oral steroids, and when that didn't work, I was admitted to the hospital for intravenous steroids (1,000 mg. a day for three days), but this didn't even touch the swelling of the optic nerve. In fact, while in the hospital, my vision got worse. Furthermore, ALL of the tests came back negative or normal. As it turns out, doctors are stunned. They do not know why I got this. My ophthalmologist said that it could be that I have very tiny blood vessels in the eye, and the smallest clot can get caught. I am now taking a baby aspirin a day. There is another possibility, which I think it is the culprit of my problem. I've taken Lanoxin/Digoxin .25 mg., which was consider a very safe drug for the past 30 years, to control a heart condition called "Supraventricular Tachycardia". Now, 30 years later, my husband found on the Internet that it can cause issues on the optic nerve and cataracts. I am a healthy 56-year old woman, who exercises often and eats right. I never would have thought that I would have vision problems at this 56. This has been a very tough and trying time for me. Tomorrow, it will be one month since I woke up with a blurry vision in the corner of my right eye. Now, I'm facing the fact that I have to get used to seeing the world with one eye. I'm heart broken. I have my 'O.K.' days, and days when I cry and feel sorry for myself. This is the hardest thing that I've ever had to endure. Any words of encouragement will be greatly appreciate it. I really need them!! Thank you.
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Originally Posted by Strhuntrss
Has anyone had a stroke of their optic nerve? My symptoms all started with floaters, vision loss and being diagnosed with optic neuritis. Periphrial loss in the right eye, hit and miss words and blurry vision prevent me from reading for very long. Left eye compensates but notice it is getting tired more often.
First opthlamologist did nothing and gave me the wait and see if it gets better. two weeks later eye got worse. Did all kinds of blood work. Nothing.
Seeked out a 2nd opinion opthamologist(was trained at the Cleveland Clinic). took one look and said I should have had IV steriods when it first happened. He then gave me oral steriods to get the swelling down, pupils were not reacting the way they should have, floaters and pain behind eye balls and when moved up and down. Swelling went down but sx never went away.
Went back to see first opthamologist, he ordered an MRI that could not be performed because of braces on teeth mared the test, what they could see was nothing( didn't get to the contrast cancelled test before they gave that to me). visual tests every month still wait as see.
A year later, decided to stay with the 2nd opthamologist. Seems to care about my eye and not as big of a practice. He performed numerous blood work, numerous visual tests again, another MRI (this time with contrast) looking for lesions to rule out possible MS because of sx i now am having that mimic MS. Some things have showed up.
Now I'm not so sure that they are going down the right path. I know medicine is not an exact science and Dr's don't know everything. But they can at least make us feel like we are not crazy. I am about to give up. Eye sight is not getting any better, the last MRI pretty much ruled out MS. Now I am back to square one.
In looking at the MRI report and looking up the medical jargon they use, I found that maybe my problem is that I had a stroke of the optic nerve.
Does anyone else have this condition? Looking for answers in hopefully the right place. Seeing the 2nd opinion opthamologist on Monday to discuss the results and where we go from here  |