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    Optic Neuritis and yearly eye exam

    Hello everyone,
    I am still recovering (hopefully will recover ) from my last ON attack in April-May 2013.

    I have a yearly regular eye exam next week for glasses and contacts. My eye doctor knows about my ON, but in the past the attacks have healed before my eye exam.

    My left eye is not technically blurry like near-sighted vision without glasses, it's more dull and cloudy (like vasoline on my eye glass lense). So it can't be corrected with glasses.

    How would my eye doctor prescribe my left eye for contacts? would she just go by my right eye? both my eyes have always had two different prescriptions.

    I just want to be as educated as possible before my exam and I was wondering if anyone else has had an eye exam with an ON attack that hasn't healed. And how does their eye doctor prescribe glasses or contacts?
    Amanda
    DX RRMS 2008 - 2013
    Copaxone 2008 - 2010
    Limbo - 2013
    3 Relapses of Optic Neuritis 2008-2013

    #2
    Hi MandyLynn,

    I too have ON and wear glasses. My right eye is mostly blind with black and grayness.

    My Opt Dr. seems to know how to get the right RX for both eyes.. not sure how he does it but he does.

    I can only assume when he asked "which one is clearer".. 1 or 2. then 2 or 3.. so far I have not had any issues with my glasses.

    I did ask ALOT of questions Not sure if this helps you any.. i went with the flow and it worked out pretty good. Hope this goes the same for you as well.

    Oh and.. he did say that if my eye/vision did clear.. that he could re test the eye and make a lens

    Omzone

    Comment


      #3
      I have permanent damage in both eyes from optic neuritis and I wear glasses so I've been through the yearly eye exams a few times with eyes that will never get any better.

      The eye exam and the prescription work the same way after ON as before. Each eye still gets its own prescription for an eyeglass lens or a contact lens. The prescription gets each eye seeing the best that it can even if it isn't 20/20 anymore. So your eye doctor will prescribe your left eye contact lens based on what makes your left eye see the best that it can, even though its best is a little blurrier than the right eye.

      Comment


        #4
        Exactly as the others have said. If your vision improves and your prescription feels off, you can go back in for a new prescription. I've never been so lucky, but it is common for vision to improve in many patients after an attack of ON.

        I'd also suggest quizzing the doctor about how this is handled. It's a very good question, and good doctors want to keep you informed, so this way you'll know when to call and what to expect.

        One of my eyes cannot be corrected past 20/30, and the other is a little better, but still only 20/20 if I guess half of the letters. (Not complaining; considering the cell depths of my retina, this is kind of amazing.) Ophthalmologists are used to it, I promise.

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          #5
          Thank you all,
          I feel a lot better about going for my exam. I delayed this appointment for as long as I could hoping it would heal, but I’m running out of contact lenses and I wasn’t sure how the Dr. would prescribe a damaged eye. I will ask a bunch of questions and hope she can do her best. And I really hope my eye does heal one day. (*fingers crossed*)
          Amanda
          DX RRMS 2008 - 2013
          Copaxone 2008 - 2010
          Limbo - 2013
          3 Relapses of Optic Neuritis 2008-2013

          Comment


            #6
            Update

            Ok, it's been three weeks. And I saw the eye doctor who referred me to an ophthalmologist.

            The ophthalmologist was very concerned about the nerve being pale and the three cases of ON so he referred me to another neurologist.

            Boy am I happy I went to see the new neuro, he is the nicest Doc I have ever met and he looks like Obama LOL.

            He ordered an MRI of my spine. I didn't even know you can have an MRI or lesions on your spine.

            I am pretty confident that he will find the answer to why I have recurrent ON.
            Amanda
            DX RRMS 2008 - 2013
            Copaxone 2008 - 2010
            Limbo - 2013
            3 Relapses of Optic Neuritis 2008-2013

            Comment


              #7
              I am glad you were sent to a great doctor! MS can cause lesions throughout the central nervous system. I rarely get them in my brain, but wow does it like my cervical cord. I suspect your new neuro (Doctor Obama, ha!) wants to get the full picture of your MS, so more scans will give information about where you may have lesions. Your spine may be perfectly clear, and I hope it is.

              With a history of ON, you should probably *always* see an ophthalmologist, not an optometrist. I would have said that earlier had I known you were off to the optometrist for your exam. An optometrist may have a doctorate, but they are not medical doctors.

              Good luck with your MRI!

              Comment


                #8
                Hi Amanda! I'm glad things went so well for you.

                As long as you wear contact lenses you will continue to need to see your optometrist.

                Very few ophthalmologists deal with contact lenses themselves. If they provide contact lens services in their office, they have an optometrist on staff who does them. If you like your optometrist you don't have to change.

                The ophthalmologist might be concerned about your optic nerves but they might not be as concerned about your vision. Your optometrist is concerned about your vision. My ophthalmologists have never been concerned about my vision. The only one who does care about it is my neuro-ophthalmologist. And he agrees with me about the sorry state of ophthalmologists being concerned about exams and procedures but not so much about vision.

                If you have recurrent optic neuritis, you might do better to have a neuro-ophthalmologist to monitor your optic neuritis and neuropathy, and continue to see your optometrist for routine eye care, including your yearly exam and glasses and contact lenses. You already know that your optometrist will refer you to a medical specialist if necessary.

                I'm glad you have some new "eyes" on your case.

                Comment


                  #9
                  On the practical side, many optometrists will have a machine in their office that can automatically find your corrected lens Rx. These machines were big back in the 90's because they could use the word COMPUTER in the title.
                  Now a days, they are mostly used to give the Dr/Optomitrist a ballpark correction Rx and most of us have probably stared into one of these machines in the past. You definatly stared into one of these machines if you wore "birth control" glasses in boot camp.

                  For the most part, the machine does a pretty acurate job.

                  Ask your eye Dr if they still have their machine.

                  For those of us with optic nerve damage, it makes getting new glasses/contacts a much more painless experience.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Do you see

                    an optometrist or an opthalmologist? How about a neuro-opthalmologist? Any recommendations as to which specialty is better for those of us with MS?

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I've only ever regularly seen ophthalmologists, and they all handle contacts, etc. I'd say it's regional, but I have seen many in a few different states; they all handle the full range of eye care, and the one optometrist I *did* see a year ago (long story, thought I was seeing an MD) flat out told me I needed to see an ophthalmologist, not an optometrist, from there on out. *shrug*

                      I don't see why anyone would want to see two doctors when you can funnel it all into one doctor, one office, and one visit, but to each their own. Even if they have an optometrist on staff, it's still one office, one visit. Much easier. None of my ophthalmologists have ever had optometrists in office, however. My current doctor *does* have a testing director with a PhD in neurophysiology on staff (so not an MD), but no optometrists.

                      Ultimately, MandyLynn, it's all about where you feel most comfortable, and of course, where and how you get good care. In my state, there are two neuro-ophthalmologists, both are full time professors and each see patients one day a week. I've consulted with one, but there is no way no how to be a regular patient with those schedules. I rather wish I had the option, but it's not an option. If it is where you are, it may be worth seeking one out.

                      Good luck to you as you find the right care for your situation!

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