Loss of vision

[Kudos]

The missus has just come downstairs and said that her eyesight has gone funny in one eye. She says she can't really see anything out the extreme left of her left eye and things a re a bit fuzzy. Has gone for a lie down.

Normally healthy, 37ys old. Anything to worry about?

[nick heppinstall]

Could be a Migrain ? Any flashing lights ? Tell her to have something to eat and see if it goes away. Usually does for me pretty quickly.

If it's something thats not happened before maybe worth a call to NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

[Kudos]

nick heppinstall said:

Could be a Migrain ? Any flashing lights ? Tell her to have something to eat and see if it goes away. Usually does for me pretty quickly.

If it's something thats not happened before maybe worth a call to NHS Direct.

No, no headache or flashing lights. Was thinking NHS direct if it continued. Thanks. I joked that I was a stroke, didn't do down terribly well...

[nick heppinstall]

Kudos said:

No, no headache or flashing lights. Was thinking NHS direct if it continued. Thanks. I joked that I was a stroke, didn't do down terribly well...

No probs. Nothing to lose by giving them a call. Hope she's OK. Let us know what transpires.

[condor]

I'd suggest trying to get her to see her GP first thing Monday morning for them to have a look at it.

I got sudden onset, blurred vision in both eyes at a similar age to your wife - no other health concerns. I was given steroid eye drops straight away which relieved the symptoms. It was thought I had sarcoidosis in the eyes, but not proven - I've been going to the Uveitis clinic at Moorfields eye hospital since that time - the last 10 years or so, merely as a yearly check-up as it all got cleared up. I still and will always have the scarring at the back of the eyes - but it was caught soon enough for it not to cause any lasting damage.

[V40TC]

My wife had similar it was fluid leaking inside the eye
I would advise taking her to A&E to get checked ASAP
once buggered sight isn't like a broken bone.
hopefully like MrsV40TC she will recover/be fine

[Kudos]

Thanks all. She is now saying she has a sore head, but doesn't seem to be too serious - she's still able to give me a hard time

I've suggested NhS direct and also said take a painkiller for the headache, but she's said no, so can't be that bad

Will keep you informed

[BliarOut]

Kudos said:

Thanks all. She is now saying she has a sore head, but doesn't seem to be too serious - she's still able to give me a hard time

I've suggested NhS direct and also said take a painkiller for the headache, but she's said no, so can't be that bad

Will keep you informed

Sounds like a classic migraine to me. The vision usually starts to get back to normal as the headache begins if I remember correctly. Very long time since I've had one.

[TouchWood]

[Ki3r]

Kudos said:

Thanks all. She is now saying she has a sore head, but doesn't seem to be too serious - she's still able to give me a hard time

I've suggested NhS direct and also said take a painkiller for the headache, but she's said no, so can't be that bad

Will keep you informed

Sounds to me that its a migraine, I had pretty much the same thing, eye sight went (bloody strange!), then a really bad headache, and felt sick.

Lie down in a dark room, no TV etc for a couple of hours, should do it.

[Taff107]

If she has had no history of migraines, it could be Optic Neuritis like I was diagnosed with in June this year.
Cet it checked out - Optic Neuritis is pretty grim, but don't panic when you (inevitably will) Google

[Total loss]

Last year our nextdoor neighbor suffered blurred vision, it got worse over 3/4 days, went to the docs Friday morning, doc sent him to hospital that afternoon, Sat. morning he had an operation to remove a non malignant tumor behind the eye. Unlikely to be the same, just be aware it could be serious so don't ignore if it persists.

[poo at Paul's]

Taff107 said:

If she has had no history of migraines, it could be Optic Neuritis like I was diagnosed with in June this year.
Cet it checked out - Optic Neuritis is pretty grim, but don't panic when you (inevitably will) Google

You been checked for MS?

[968]

Without resorting to terrifying stories, if it persists or happens again then I would recommend she sees someone, probably an optician in the first case, as GPs don't have much expertise in examining eyes. It does sound very much like a migrainous attack, but it is sensible to get it checked out nonetheless.

For the other posters here, having optic neuritis does not mean that you have MS. About 30% of patients with optic neuritis can develop MS, but 70% don't.

[Taff107]

poo at Paul's said:

You been checked for MS?

I have indeed. MRI didn't show anything when I had it a couple of months back. I have been given the offer of having another to see if anything appears however, have refused it. As there is nothing that can be done regardless, I'd prefer to 'roll the dice' and deal with it if / when it does come.

The ON is grim though - 6 months on and still huge problems with sight in right eye and headaches. Looking at another year before they can draw a line and say that the eyesight is about as good as its going to get.

I'd get checked out ASP. If it is ON and you catch it soon enough, there is the option to try steroids to help treat the eye.

968 said:

For the other posters here, having optic neuritis does not mean that you have MS. About 30% of patients with optic neuritis can develop MS, but 70% don't.

I am quite aware of the fact that having ON doesn't necessarily mean it will develop into MS but in my opinion, a 30% chance of getting something like MS is hardly nothing to be concerned about, is it...

Edited by Taff107 on Monday 9th January 00:51

[davhill]

I developed.ON, which proved to be.the harbinger of MS.

To the OP, the.beginnings of ON were like.looking.through.a.cloud.of steam.

[Taff107]

Sorry to hear that dav. If you don't mind me asking, how long was it with you before other symptoms 'appeared'to indicate MS?

[968]

Taff107 said:

poo at Paul's said:

You been checked for MS?

I have indeed. MRI didn't show anything when I had it a couple of months back. I have been given the offer of having another to see if anything appears however, have refused it. As there is nothing that can be done regardless, I'd prefer to 'roll the dice' and deal with it if / when it does come.

The ON is grim though - 6 months on and still huge problems with sight in right eye and headaches. Looking at another year before they can draw a line and say that the eyesight is about as good as its going to get.

I'd get checked out ASP. If it is ON and you catch it soon enough, there is the option to try steroids to help treat the eye.

968 said:

For the other posters here, having optic neuritis does not mean that you have MS. About 30% of patients with optic neuritis can develop MS, but 70% don't.

I am quite aware of the fact that having ON doesn't necessarily mean it will develop into MS but in my opinion, a 30% chance of getting something like MS is hardly nothing to be concerned about, is it...

Edited by Taff107 on Monday 9th January 00:51

It might be, but as an Ophthalmic surgeon, who deals with Optic neuritis regularly, going down the route of investigating for MS, in a one off episode of optic neuritis, is opening a massive can of worms. Indeed, your life insurance/mortgage/job can be affected by the outcome, so if there are no other symptoms, I do not investigate further and neither do most of my colleagues. I have a candid conversation with patients about this issue and offer referral to a neurology colleague, if the patient wants to pursue it.

Oh and edited to add, we do not treat with steroids unless both eyes are profoundly affected or the level of vision loss in one eye is severe. Large multicentre studies have shown that the outcome whether patients are given steroids or not, is the same, and patients who have steroid treatment are likely to develop nasty and potentially life threatening side effects, so are best avoided.

Edited by 968 on Monday 9th January 14:53

[Taff107]

968 said:

It might be, but as an Ophthalmic surgeon, who deals with Optic neuritis regularly, going down the route of investigating for MS, in a one off episode of optic neuritis, is opening a massive can of worms. Indeed, your life insurance/mortgage/job can be affected by the outcome, so if there are no other symptoms, I do not investigate further and neither do most of my colleagues. I have a candid conversation with patients about this issue and offer referral to a neurology colleague, if the patient wants to pursue it.

Oh and edited to add, we do not treat with steroids unless both eyes are profoundly affected or the level of vision loss in one eye is severe. Large multicentre studies have shown that the outcome whether patients are given steroids or not, is the same, and patients who have steroid treatment are likely to develop nasty and potentially life threatening side effects, so are best avoided.

Edited by 968 on Monday 9th January 14:53

Hence the reason of not wanting the second MRI and being officially diagnosed with MS. As nothing can be done either way, I just couldn't see any plus points of having it.

I have it only in the right eye and the Neurologist gave me the option of steroids however, he also gave the impression that it may be of no advantage whatsoever. Apparently one possible side effect is affecting your bones (something like that?) so again, I declined. I don't need that extra kick in the nuts to go with the ON.

There has been a lot of improvement from how it used to be but my god, it takes sooo long....

[968]

Taff107 said:

Hence the reason of not wanting the second MRI and being officially diagnosed with MS. As nothing can be done either way, I just couldn't see any plus points of having it.

I have it only in the right eye and the Neurologist gave me the option of steroids however, he also gave the impression that it may be of no advantage whatsoever. Apparently one possible side effect is affecting your bones (something like that?) so again, I declined. I don't need that extra kick in the nuts to go with the ON.

There has been a lot of improvement from how it used to be but my god, it takes sooo long....

Yes steroids can cause osteoporosis (brittle bones) it can make you diabetic, affect your blood pressure, affect you mentally (make you psychotic) can affect your hormones, make you gain weight, bleed more easily amongst many other things.

I would not do an MRI on a first episode of optic neuritis. It's a clinical diagnosis, but should not be labelled as MS unless accompanied by other systemic features and/or MRI features. Most neurologists prefer not to have an MRI for one episode of ON, but for recurrences, or new/other symptoms.

[Kudos]

A quick update. The vision returned on Sat night, but the headache remained and still does.

She went to the Doctor today who took a blood test. Results back on Friday and then decision on whether to send her to eye specialist or neurologist