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COMPLETELY BLIND LEFT EYE!!!!

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    COMPLETELY BLIND LEFT EYE!!!!

    I started experiencing pain with movement of my left eye a week ago. The pain continued for several days and then a fog started appearing. Now, a week later, this foggy sensation has spread to my entire eye and I cannot see a single thing out of it. The most I can see are shadows of things, but I don't know what they are.

    I had a visual field test and COMPLETELY failed that seeing as how I saw NO lights whatsoever. I cannot see anything and the closer things get, the worse they are. My eye is painful to the touch and especially when moving it extreme left or right.

    I have now been placed on a 3-day steroid course with a 10 day Prednisone taper.

    Are there hopes for me seeing as how I have completely lost my vision at this point. I'm afraid I'll never see anything again out of that eye and it is very difficult to only manage with one eye.

    I had an MRI done and the results showed inflammation in the optic nerve. I am only 18 years old and am terrified that I have forever lost my vision.

    Has anyone experienced something like this? Particularly losing all your vision in one eye and then having it return. I'm praying that the steroids work. I had my first infusion done about 12 hours ago and so far no improvements.

    Thank you so much everyone. I greatly appreciate it.
    Diagnosed Feb. 2011
    Rebif 3/11-5/11;Copaxone 6/11-10/11;Gilenya 10/11-present

    #2
    Hi ms10292:
    The Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial ran for 15 years and followed a group of people who had one or more episodes of optic neuritis. (The treatment protocol of 3 days of IV steroids came from that trial.) The results of the study showed that most people get most of their vision back. Some people get all of their vision back, and some people get none of their vision back. For any individual, it's impossible to predict what will happen.

    The term "optic neuritis" refers to the optic nerve (the nerve that connects your eye to your brain) and inflammation (the neur- means nerve and the -itis means inflammation). What you have is optic neuritis -- inflammation of the optic nerve. Inflammation has disrupted the normal activity of the nerve cells, so they aren't functioning properly. The nerves aren't sending electrical signals from your eye to your brain, and the result is that you can't see with that eye.

    The steroids reduce inflammation, but they don't heal damage. If you think about a forest fire as an analogy for optic neuritis, water puts out the fire, but the trees have to grow back by themselves. Steroids can put out the inflammation that's damaging the nerve, but the nerve has to heal by itself.

    So steroids don't work like aspirin for a headache, where you take the aspirin and everything is all better in 20 minutes. They can reduce inflammation in a few days, but the results of that don't show until the optic nerve heals and vision starts to return. That means that you're not going to get your vision back in 12 hours, or 24 or 48.

    The healing can take awhile. Sometimes vision starts to recover within the first week, but usually it takes several weeks, and sometimes it can take several months for vision to return. It might return entirely or only partially. And there are an unlucky few people who don't get their vision back at all.

    When I have optic neuritis, I never start to see any improvement until about the 3-week mark. I had one episode that took an entire year for my vision to return to its maximum. I've had episodes of total vision loss that returned within a few weeks and one where a large chunk of my visual field was lost permanently.

    There are members of this forum who had total vision loss like yours who got all of their vision back. We have a couple who lost all of their vision and didn't get any of it back. And many with results in between the two extremes. Some of them may post to tell you about their experiences.

    The waiting is going to be very difficult, but recovery takes as long as it takes. So even though you're feeling very scared and discouraged right now, the odds for a good recovery are in your favor.

    Comment


      #3
      Optic neuritis

      My presenting symptom was blindness in my left eye. I had no pain, but like you, the sight was completely gone. I had a three day course of steroids, and my sight returned within two weeks. I still have some residual color loss on my left side , but it is only noticable on testing.

      I was in the middle of an excerbation at the time, exhausted and a wreck. This happened 15 years ago--and has never happened again. I see the neuro-ophthalmologist yearly--one appointment I never miss. I have some thickening of my optic nerve, but again, not really a problem.

      The chances are very good that the inflamation will go down, andyour vision will return. It may take some time, and I know it is freightening--but please try and rest, and be sure to see your doctor.

      Please keep us up-dated on how you are doing.

      Comment


        #4
        hi

        I have no answers regarding eye. I just wanted to say how brave you are, and to hang in there.

        I'm glad you got the steriod treatment right away. I have heard of this happening before with others and that the vision does return after treatment.

        stay positive

        ((hugs))
        Jen Dx'd 5/11
        "Live each day as if it were your last"

        Comment


          #5
          This was my first symptom 13 years ago, that I didn't know until I had a Dx of MS 15 months ago, and educated myself.

          I had a dark circle in one eye. Had all the tests by the eye pros, and they couldn't find anything wrong, and told me it was probebly a virus had hit the optic nerve. They never even looked at MS.
          It pretty much cleared up in a few days, so I would say give it some time and see if it improves
          Good luck.

          Comment


            #6
            I've had low grade ON for several weeks but 5 days ago lost total vision in left eye. Am currently in hospital for third day of solu-medrol and doing much better. This is my first time with the steroids as I have reserved them for vision loss only. I already have osteoporosis and don't want to lose any more bone mass to steroid use. It's a delicate balance we walk.

            Comment


              #7
              no fun...

              first know that my prayers are with you. I am 50 and dealing with this ON and MS stuff. I cannot imagine dealing at such a tender age.

              6 months ago, I also presented with ON, total blindness in left eye. I did a 5 day solumedrol roller coaster. and by the end of the 5 days the vision was starting to come back. After about 10 days, most of my vision was back. Now, 6 months later I have all of my vision, but it is changeable daily. Some days blurry, some days left eye, some right. Makes no sense.

              I hope your results are as good as mine. It is soooo scary.

              karen
              You are in the driver's seat, but God is holding the map

              Comment


                #8
                First off, I want to thank everyone for their insight and their kind wishes.

                Today was my second day of steroids and I can say that I have not seen any improvements. I saw an MS specialist today and he is switching me over to Gilenya and told me to discontinue the Copaxone. My neurologist and I agreed to extend the steroids to 4 days to see if that helps anything. Considering the fact that I have NO light perception, I am getting more terrified by the minute. I understand that I have to be patient with this, but it is too difficult when you are totally blind.

                Has anyone tried the Gilenya? I suffered from hair loss for about 6 months due to Rebif in the past and I lost at least 1/2 my hair and I certainly hope this doesn't happen again.

                Again, my biggest thanks for everyone's support and knowledge. It really does mean a lot to me. I will be keeping everyone posted on my progression.
                Diagnosed Feb. 2011
                Rebif 3/11-5/11;Copaxone 6/11-10/11;Gilenya 10/11-present

                Comment


                  #9
                  I had a similar episode like yours.. Mine was the upper half of my visual field,in both eyes..(not at the same time).
                  It has been 5 year and I have regained most of my eye sight!
                  RRMS-2007-2012
                  SPMS-2012
                  Copaxone Feb,2007- 2008
                  currently on Rebif

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I hope you heal soon. I am home from the hospital, can see with my left eye now but not details like a face on TV but can see details on live persons. Like a hazy film. The steroids worked for me in three days but oh the side effects. I'm so irritable I could bite myself. lol
                    Blindness to any degree is frightening, I hope your vision returns soon. Please keep us posted.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      The blindness is sure terrifying. That was also my 1st sypmtom that led to my dx of ms. Mine resolved, after 3 day solumedrol, other than a bit blurry when I overdo. It took about 3 days to "see" improvement and about 4 weeks to return to my basic vision.

                      Best of luck and try to remain as calm as possible. The odds are in your favor, so my sending prayers out can only help!

                      Debbie

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Cross you're fingers and hope for the best

                        [SIZE="5"]Getting steroid treatments right away is your only and best medical option. Odds are most of your vision will return. I have had ON more times than I care to think about and I'm now legally blind. If I had steroid treatment when I had ON the first time might have made a difference, don't know and I guess now it doesn't matter.

                        Regardless of how much vision returns, you will adapt, you will be okay, you have your whole life ahead of you to accomplish great and wonderful things.

                        Revel in what you can do, everyday my morning starts with a list of what's working and what I can do. I don't cry or mourn the things I can't, instead I adapt and remember that there are people far worse than I, there are worse diseases to have.

                        Good luck and I'll cross my fingers for you too.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          I understand your fear, ms10292, but I can tell you my story and hope that it helps you to feel a bit better.

                          I had a central scotoma in my left eye back in 1993. It was like someone had taken my picture with a flash camera, and the flash was still in my eye. Talk about annoying...and painful! I was in the hospital for 8 days for a severe exacerbation of the MS (the scotoma was one of the symptoms), and got steroids on every one of those days. It still took almost a year for my vision to return to normal, but it did come back for me!

                          I know it's scary, believe me. Just know that your odds are good that your vision will return for you. It just takes time...and for me it took the true belief that it WOULD be back, and that I WOULD be fine!! I swear that the complete belief that I would not be blind made all the difference (for me).

                          Good luck, and keep us posted!!
                          “The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places.” Ernest Hemingway
                          Diagnosed 1979

                          Comment


                            #14
                            The right thing

                            I was going to comment saying that you should think about switching OFF of copaxone (and other CRABS) for that matter given that the MS is active even while on them. Gilenya or Tysabri is what I would be getting on right away.

                            Also - it is going to take a little while for your vision to start improving. Just remember the steroids stick around for weeks after you get them and help with inflammation. I bet you will start seeing improvements soon.

                            Good luck....stay strong!
                            Dx: 2001
                            Currently on Tysabri since Dec 2010
                            Feel lucky to be doing so well!

                            Comment


                              #15
                              I am so sorry you are going through this. I can remember exactly the day my ON began. July 15th of this year. My left eye went completely black.

                              I went on steroids like you did. The only thing I can tell you that might help is that it did take awhile for me, but my vision is almost normal at this point.

                              Every once in a while it might get a little blurry, especially when I get overheated. I can see very well now though.

                              Just hang in there and try not to panic. I was also afraid I would never get my sight back. It sucks, but only time will tell. You're doing what you can for it right now.

                              Good luck!

                              Comment

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