**OT UPDATE on my eye***

This is in regards to the post that I posted last night...So I ended up not going to the ER last night (I know shame on me)... But I did go to the Ophthalmologist this morning.

They did the chart test in which I was 20/20 on Friday but had a real hard time making out today. I had my eyes dilated and she looked in the with several different lights and magnifiers, did a color blind test, and I also had the dye put in my eyes again.

After all of this the Ophthalmologist said that I have a textbook case of Optic Neuritis. She ordered an MRI to be done to ensure there is no tumor in my brain. Also she stated that in some cases Optic Neuritis is the first sign of MS. She also said that in some cases that the Optic Neuritis is just an isolated case. The MRI will also let me know about the MS... I really pray that it isn't MS. 

The other downside to all of this is that my eye will have to heal on its own. After the MRI I can choose to have a 3 day high dose IV steroid treatment that will help speed up the healing. It isn't mandatory but could essentially be helpful. And once all of this is done and I am "better" I could still have permanent vision loss or partial vision loss depending on how my body decides to heal.

I want to say thank you for all of the prayers and good thoughts that are out there.

Nathalie

Hi Nathalie,

I am so sorry that you are having to endure this.  Please keep your chin up and think positive until you get done with the results of the MRI.  Whatever the results, it is something that is meant to be.  I know that it is in times like this that you don't understand why, but whatever it is, that is what it is.  It's one of the bumps in the road of life that we all face. 

You will be in my prayers and thoughts and please keep us updated,

Hugs 2 u, Diane

Thank you Diane for your kind words. I am keeping my head up and trying to be positive. I am gonna take it easy tonight and just have thing settle in my mind. I got a lot thrown at me today by the doc and I dont think it has sunk in just yet...

I will for sure keep you all updated... I really appreciate the support.

Nathalie :)

Nathalie:

Optic Neuritis was my diagnosis, too, which essentially for me, is a kind of macular degeneration, or, loss of central vision focus. They suspected tumor and MS with me, too...had the MRI, a few "bright spots" but not enough to be MS... so, they just call it "optic neuritis".

Mine went undiagnosed for a couple of years, during which i was sent to every eye specialist around: Jules Stein, all the major hospitals, etc... finally got the correct diagnosis, but it was too late for the three day steroid treatment (which i encourage you to DO...it's at least a hope that your eye can regain some vision)...

I know what you are going through... it's been about 10 years now. Frustrating! Can't read out of that eye.... have no depth perception...scary, too... what if I wake up one day and it just happens to the "good" eye? I'd be essentially blind.

Glad you got to a good ophthamologist...

I do have permanent vision loss and distortion in that eye. You do adapt, and the "good eye" takes over... When I get my driver's license renewed now, I have to take the driving exam each time, and bring a doc's note stating that the "good" eye is correctable to 20/20 (which it is, but w/o correction, it is 20/1400)... one nearsighted momma here!

Good luck...keep us posted....

Lori

Thank you for the kind words and the encouragement. I am seriously thinking of the steroid treatment. I could use any help I can get now. I don't want to lose function in my eye but if it is meant to be it is meant to be. I know that I can manage just fine.

I am grateful that my Ophthalmologist is good and has finally given me something other than your eye is fine. That was the most frustrating part. Knowing something is wrong and everyone telling you your eye is fine. I will for sure keep everyone updated. Thank you all for the support you have given me in the past few days. I really truly appreciate it.

Nathalie

i know JUST what you mean, nat! it took TWO YEARS of me running around from doc to doc trying to get someone to BELIEVE me that I could not see.

finally, at USC, they hooked electrodes up to the optic center on the back of my head and had me look at a screen, "good" eye first, then the bad eye, reading the brain waves.... they just got scrambled junk when i looked at it with the bad eye, and they said, "what ARE you seeing out of that eye??"

I told them... "NOT MUCH"... i'd been trying to tell them for so long!

bottom line...by the time they found out what it was, it was past the window for the steroids to be of any use, so I never got that done.

we can talk more as you go on through this...

it is HARD... the fear of the other eye going is very real.... but, it's been 10 years for me, and I'm managing and doing ok...

God bless you!!
Lori

I dont think I could have waited two years... I may have just gone postal. I am so sorry that it took them so long to diagnose you. I am pretty sure I am going to do the steroid treatment depending on my MRI results. Thank you for being so open and supportive. It is really comforting to hear from someone who has gone through the same thing and is alright in the end.

Right now it is in the "scary"phase... I know what is wrong but how wrong is another story. I am staying optomistic and I go back to work tomorrow. I just needed a night to let everything soak in and to research it on my own.

Thanks again and I will update as soon as I know anything.

Nathalie :)

It IS scary.... but, you are on the right track, and very early...so... if they can rule out MS and a tumor in the near future, you're on your way to treatment.

I believe they would do the steroid treatment even if the Dx is MS...

praying for you....

Lori

Nathalie,

I am so sorry you have to deal with this: I feel for you.  It's horrible!  I will be definitely keep you in my prayers. 

Kim

Thank you for the thoughts and prayers... they are much appreciated.

Nathalie :)