MS & eyesight
 

Hi all,

Can you share what problems you have had with your eyesight that is related to your MS? i have seen a couple people post that they had temporary blindness, but i was wondering what other effects might be.

the last couple days, my left eye has been fairly blurry so i'm wondering if this is something brought on by my MS. i am currently in a flare up that has lasted since the beginning of august, and the only treatment i have received is pain mgmt with oxycodone and neurotin.

thanks for your input

mike
diagnosed august 2010

I think you need a new Doc/Neuro, Mike. If you are in a flare, it could be Optical Neuritis. Do you have an Optho or Neuro/Opth? You should be getting some kind of treatment. IVSM(intravenous SaluMedrol)Steroids.

Make some noise, Mike..:p:D

thanks sally, i have been attempting to get into the barrow neurological MS clinic for a month now. I was seeing my neuro for injuries from a fall when i got diagnosed. he seemed to not want to work with me regarding the ms so he referred me to barrow but its been a nightmare trying to get in. coupled with insurance changes last month its been highly stressful and frustrating

I've had optic neuritis at least twice. (maybe 3 times, but all I had was pain for that third time. No obvious vision problem except that it hurt like crazy)

First time I had it, it was my first real clue that I had MS. (the numb hip that I'd had for 6 months that I complained about to the doctors 3 months before was basically ignored)

That first time, I had a big scotoma (blind spot) in my left eye. It obscured about 2/3rds of my vision in that eye, and also affected my color vision. Took about 3 or 4 months for the scotoma to go away, but I had dim vision and screwed up color vision for about a year or a little longer.

My eye recovered to about 95% of what it was. I can tell there's some residual problems. Eyes dont track as quickly as they used to. I didnt have any IV steroids for that. I just waited it out.

The summer of 2009, I had another blast of optic neuritis. This time I had double vision...which was really more horrible than being half blind. Again, it was the left eye that was picking on me. I pretty much insisted on the IV steroids for that. Took about a month for the double vision to start to clear up. I had problems with the double vision coming back if I was tired, and if I looked to the side I'd get it.

I still get a little double vision if I look to the right without moving my head. But right now, I'm pretty happy with my vision.

It sucks to wait for things to clear up tho. You get to a point where you think it'll never get any better and that you're stuck with it. It really does feel like it takes forever. One of these days, I know I'll have another flare that wont improve. I'm hoping that's 3 or 4 decades away tho.

The flair that earned me my MS dx was a severe bout of double vision. It took about six months to correct itself. Several years later I had Optic Neuritis in my left eye. It hurt and affected my vision. As soon as that cleared up (about 4 weeks) I had it in my right eye. It wasn't as severe and didn't last as long in the right eye.

I won't take IVSM (too hard on the bones) so I usually just wait it out. I take LDN and I believe that helps tremendously in quick recovery and little to no residual damage.

Hi Mike.....I too had optic neuritis back in the "dark ages" -- 1976 and again about a year later. In hindsight, it was the beginning of my MS, but didn't get the official diagnosis until 1990. When the ON was active, I had a blind spot eliminating my peripheral vision. Had a wicked pain over my eye and it was painful to move my eyeball. Eventually this all cleared up.

Now, 34 years later, my vision is quite blurry, especially when I'm tired or the MS is flaring. I have pain behind my eyes if I have to look straight up and severe dizziness if I move my eyes too quickly. Perhaps your flare is causing your eye problem too?? As others have said, find a new neurologist asap.

Take care......:)

thanks for the info and concern everyone! i got an appt later today (tuesday Nov 2) with my PCP to get a referral to get my eyes checked and i'm going to push for the neuro referral too. not sure if i'm waiting on the MS clinic or the insurance company right now. my flare up had been easing but monday was a bear, just so fatigued and really having a hard time with my right leg.

thanks again, i will let you know if anything comes of this. right now its just slightly blurry vision in that eye, non changing (i have, in the past, experienced blurry vision when tired, but always in both eyes, and this hasnt gone away when im fully rested...)

I have had ON or optic neuritis several times. now I have ...whats the name of that syndrome? someone will chime in im sure. When I get over heated or over stressed I go blind. not "who turned out the lights" blind, but like someone smeared vaseline on my eye glasses blind. Everything gets fuzzy and smeared. I think its uhtoffs (bad spelling) ON is the only reason I will take steroids. I save them for the really bad stuff like eyesight. My clinic wanted me to take them willy nilly and I said NO! Just let my body figure it out, unless I cant walk or cant see.

my vision normally clears once I have cooled down, calmed down or slept for at least 20 minutes. I do find that I can easily get visually confused. Fast scrolling text, fast moving movies, fast moving traffic or other events can leave me rubbing my eyes begging for rest.

Uhthoff's Phenomenon.

http://ms.about.com/od/glossary/g/uhthoff.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uhthoff%27s_phenomenon

http://www.themcfox.com/multiple-scl...s/uhthoffs.htm

IVSM helped my left (worse) eye. Double vision even if I cover my right! MS...