When I had my second episode of optic neuritis a few years ago, all it did was give me diplopia (double vision). There wasnt any pain with it, but I had vertigo and a weird headache where I felt like I'd been drinking or something.

The first time I had ON and this last time, there was lots of pain involved. It's one of those pains where if you've felt it once, you know immediately what it is if you ever feel it again. It's an unmistakable pain.

As soon as I felt it start this last time, I pretty much did a "OHHHHH <SWEAR WORD>!!!" and went running screaming to the eye doctor...twice, ran to the neuro so he could see me finally in a full blown flare of something. (he always sees me just before, or just after a flare) and then begged for drugs, steroids, anything! because the pain was so horrible. (2037 on the 1 to 10 pain scale)