Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Temporary Partial Greying of Vision

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Temporary Partial Greying of Vision

    Anybody have temporary partial greying of vision? I've been having it on and off for a while now...I'm not officially diagnosed with MS, but my primary doctor is treating me like I am (my neurologist has discharged me since he couldn't officially diagnose me with MS). I went to an eye doctor and they said that there is swelling around my optic nerve more than likely associated with intracranial hypertension. Anybody else have something like this?

    #2
    Hi Kriss:

    A lot of people with MS have greying of their vision, but the mechanism behind it is completely different than for intracranial hypertension. Intracranial hypertension and MS are not related. The visual symptoms can be similar, but the causes are completely different. This is a good example of how a disease can't be diagnosed by symptoms alone.

    In MS, the nerve cells in the brain and optic nerves are chemically damaged by the immune system. In intracranial hypertension, the nerves in the visual system are damaged by being squeezed or crushed by high fluid pressure in the brain.

    I'm assuming that, as part of your MS workup by the neurologist, you had an MRI of your brain that ruled out a brain tumor or other problem that would contribute to high intracranial pressure. But have you had a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to find the pressure of your cerebrospinal fluid?

    Did your eye doctor say that the swelling of your optic nerve is more than likely associated with intracranial hypertension because you've already been diagnosed with intracranial hypertension? Or more than likely because the brain MRI you had during your MS workup (I'm assuming) didn't show any other likely possibility for it?

    I'm guessing that you haven't been, because your primary doctor wouldn't (and shouldn't) be treating you as if you have MS if there's a suspicion of intracranial hypertension.

    Just as with visual symptoms, high intracranial pressure can cause other neurological symptoms that are similar to, and can be mistaken for, symptoms of MS.

    If you haven't had a lumbar puncture, have you been scheduled for one? That has to be done to evaluate for intracranial hypertension.

    The lumbar puncture will also allow you to have your spinal fluid tested for abnormalities that could be clues to why you may be having other neurological symptoms, including abnormalities associated with MS. So two things can be evaluated from one procedure.

    It's necessary to tell the difference between intracranial hypertension, MS, or something else, all of which can have similar symptoms but have different treatments. So I hope you get all the testing that's required and find a cause for your symptoms soon so you can start on the proper treatment.

    Comment


      #3
      J:

      A year ago I had a MS workup due to several symptoms I was feeling (bi-lateral numbness and cold feeling, balance issues, dizziness, and hearing loss in my right ear). The notes from the MRI done in the emergency room state: "There is no restricted diffusion to suggest an acute ischemic event. The calvarium and skull base have a normal marrow signal intensity and the craniovertebral junction is unremarkable.


      There is a peripherally enhancing lesion involving the left pontine tegmentum dorsolaterally just to the left of midline near the cerebral aqueduct without mass effect on the aqueduct. No obstructive hydrocephalus. There is a second nonenhancing T2 hyperintense lesion in the subcortical left frontal white matter.



      Findings suggest the possibility of a demyelinating process such as multiple sclerosis. There is a peripheral enhancing lesion without mass effect within the left pontine tegmentum and a second nonenhancing subcortical lesion in the left frontal white matter. The enhancement associated with the pontine lesions suggesting an area of active demyelination."


      So I am currently in limbo as far as a diagnosis of MS goes, since my neurologist discharged me because he felt he couldn't diagnose me with MS due to this being my first episode that was documented.


      I haven't been to my neurologist since, but the optometrist I saw is referring me to an ophthalmologist and, due to some recurring recent symptoms (numbness in my left foot, hypersensitivity in my midsection, increased fatigue, and restless legs [my roommate has filmed me moving in my sleep like I'm running a race *lol*]), my primary care is referring me back to the neurologist.


      Thanks for the feedback, hopefully I'll find out if the swelling around my optic nerve is due to intracranial hypertension or due to something else. I was just wondering if anybody had experienced similar stuff.

      Comment

      Working...
      X