Retrobulbar just means that it's behind the eyeball and cannot be observed thru an opthalmoscope (I took medical terminology courses for my medical transcription classes)

I dont think it's different, it just means that the inflammation is in an area where it cant be seen unless you get an MRI.

Erin, thanks for the clarification. Wow, your knowledge sure must come in handy a lot!

Most of what I have in my brain will only ever come in handy if I ever get to be on Jeopardy!.

Seeing as how I have a serious public speaking fear, my knowledge is probably worthless. I'd never be able to get out on the stage, much less be able to hit the signalling button.

I used to read encyclopedias as a child just for fun. (now I google stuff, but I still like the encyclopedia's)

I still have my medical terminology books, so if I can, I can try to find definitions for the big words occasionally.

At least when the opthalmologist told me he thought I had optic neuritis, I knew what it was. Before he could explain it, I was already breaking the words down into their definitions.

Optic - pertaining to the eye

Neuritis - disease condition of, or inflammation of a nerve

and of course, I remembered from my classes that ON was a symptom of MS. At that point, I wasnt so thrilled about knowing what it meant.