I had always believed this too, and have reserved the use of steroids for any eye or breathing problems. However, it doesn't seem that they are particularly helpful for ON, at least according to the attached links:

NMSS; steroids do not effect the course of the disease, and short and long-term effects of using them:

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/doc...nm_relapse.pdf

NMSS: people treated with oral steroids for ON did not do as well as those who didn't, and the use of them caused an increased risk of recurrence:

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/sit...ures_on_vision

Optic Neuritis Treatment trial results:

http://www.nei.nih.gov/neitrials/vie...Web.aspx?id=47

MX7, weren't they originally thinking it was some other kind of neuritis that was causing this? It sounds like they are waivering now (or is this a new specialist?), but have you researched the causes and whether steroids (or any other medications) might be helpful for the other kind of neuritis?

I think tkrik's idea about phoning the insurance company is a great one. How can they refuse a specialist that is recommended for eye care?? (Then again, I don't know the US medical system...)

Cherie