I've had optic neuritis since sept 2011. It's been 13 months now and I'm worried it won't heal.
I've tried everything from IV steroids, homeopathic vitamins and liquids, eating healthy etc. and nothing seems to work.
I'm also worried that I may get a second episode in my right eye. I've had blood work, a lumbar puncture and 2 MRIs over the last year that were all negative for MS.
Is there anything else I can do? My doctor just tells me he's unsure and to give it more time. Any advice or knowledge you have would be awesome. God bless!
I had optic neuritis 2 times. first time took about 3 months no meds. sencond time about a year and I did IV antibiotics for a year, no steroids ever. My vision recovered after that. This was years ago, maybe about 15 or so but I do have MS.
You can MS with a clear MRI, seems more typical with males, but there are MS forums you can tale to others, they usually refer to themselves on limbo island. Have the symptoms but no MS dx yet.
Thanks so much for responding, I appreciate it. I'm going to keep doing some research. I was thinking about trying to do plasma exchange, but it just seems scary. I'm going to talk to my doctor about IV antibiotics.
I have to continue to get MRI's done for the next 4 years or so. The spinal tap was good, hopefully wont have to do any more of those. The headaches are the worst, I get them several times a week.
When your ON came on what signs/symptoms did you have? In my left eye I saw flashes for a few days and then woke up and about 80% of my vision was gone. Did you lose your sight in the opposite eye or the same one? I'm full of questions!!
The first time I woke up blind in the left eye. The 2nd tme I was at my boyfriends on his computer and I actually saw my vision dim to blackness within a hour.
The other eye was not affected, however the left eye because the ON took so long to heal the tracking it not good. A neuro does a test and can see it, the eye wiggles when following his finger, it just doesn't track.
If your vision returns you will probably have some residual damage, but it could be minor.
As for the antibiotics, that is a very controversial treatment and I am willing to bet no neuro will ever consider that. I was treated my a lyme disese doctor in CT and NY who did the treatment for 1 year.
Optic neuritis is inflammation of the optic nerve. It may cause sudden, reduced vision in the affected eye. Vision often returns to normal within 2 - 3 weeks with no treatment. Corticosteroids given through a vein (IV) or taken by mouth may speed up recovery. Higher doses should be used cautiously, as they can have serious side effects. Further tests may be needed to determine the cause of the neuritis. The condition causing the problem can then be treated. People who have optic neuritis without a disease such as multiple sclerosis have a good chance of recovery. Optic neuritis caused by multiple sclerosis or other autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus has a poorer outlook. However, vision in the affected eye may still return to normal. In most cases, visual functions return to near normal within eight to ten weeks, but they may also advance to a complete and permanent state of visual loss. Therefore, systemic intravenous treatment with corticosteroids, which may quicken the healing of the optic nerve, is often recommended. It does not, however, have a significant effect on the visual acuity at one year when compared against placebo. Intravenous corticosteroids have also been found to reduce the risk of developing MS in the following two years in those patients who have MRI lesions; but this effect disappears by the third year of follow up. Paradoxically it has been demonstrated that oral administration of corticosteroids in this situation may lead to more recurrent attacks than in non-treated patients (though oral steroids are generally prescribed after the intravenous course, to wean the patient off the medication). This effect of corticosteroids seems to be limited to optic neuritis and has not been observed in other diseases treated with corticosteroids. Very occasionally, if there is concomitant increased intracranial pressure, the sheath around the optic nerve may be cut to decrease the pressure[citation needed]. When optic neuritis is associated with MRI lesions suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) then general immunosuppressive therapy for MS is often prescribed (IV methylprednisolone may shorten attacks).
Yeh I did the steroids already didn't seem to help. I was looking for more info on what the results are if you have it for 1+ year with no complete recovery. I'm thinking that it probably wont recover anymore. I asked my doctor about plasma exchange and he said its a treatment option usually done in the initial stages and has no effect this far in.
Optic neuritis 
