Yes, this is exactly my understanding with the caveat that if caught early enough steroids can be helpful in averting damage by reducing inflammation more quickly but the key is the health of the optic nerve. I didn't do steroids for exactly the reason you cited, coupled with the fact that I'd already hit the curve by the time I was dxed and my optic nerve was healthy, exhibiting no pallor. My NO still wanted me to do steroids so that I'd recover more quickly but didn't push it because my optic nerve looked good.

I've never had a VEP. My neuro-op ordered an MRI of the optics as soon as she dxed me with ON and did a follow-up a year later. She also took a picture using OCT. I'll have another follow-up MRI next month to track the progress and also have my first follow-up OCT.

I will ask my neuro-op for more clarification on whether there are ever cases where steroids have benefits beyond speeding recovery when I see her next month and report back. Perhaps I misunderstood.

Yes, the VF tests show if and where in the perhiphery there is vision loss. Still stumped by what the manual test is and look forward to finding out!