Is there any hope for my eyes? - Multiple Sclerosis Message Board

Lisa_P · 08-21-2007, 02:31 PM

I know my vision is not so great and hasn't been for quite a while, but this lazy eye thing is the pits! For the first time IN YEARS, I can control that eye. But when my eye is "in" I can't see a thing -- just a great big blur. I think my prescription is fine, because shutting one eye is good, opening it and shutting the other eye is good, but together? Forget it! Now, I know amblyopia is a neurological thing and has very little to do with the eye muscles, so I've "forgotten" how to see correctly -- can I retrain my brain?!?!

MSNik · 08-21-2007, 04:14 PM

Hi Lisa. I had to stop and look up amblyopia to try to figure out what this had to do with MS. I didnt find any connection. I did find research stating that if it is treated early enough, it is completely reversable, however if left untreated, probably not.
Did anyone tell you that this was MS related? I am sure that anything is possible, but in my quick research, I didnt find any connection...Im curious. I have suffered with optical neuritis since the onset of my MS...and it comes, and goes...and I always wind up on steroids when it hits..but I was curious if amblyopia was MS related.
Nikki

Lisa_P · 08-21-2007, 07:25 PM

No, I don't think it is generally MS-related; in my case, it is most definitely! I had amblyopia ("Lazy Eye") as a child. I think that it re-manifested with a couple of my worse exacerbations because it was a pre-existing "weak spot" in my specific neurology. I only found out a few months ago that lazy eye IS a neurological malfunction and not the muscular one I had always believed it to be. I was told to do "eye exercises" to strengthen the eye muscles-- which was totally the WRONG way to explain why I should do the exercises -- it's to retrain the brain!

So, I was just wondering if I make a concerted effort to do those exercises again, will it help? The first evil ON I exerperienced left me with my lazy eye thing, but it went away after a few years. The last time I had ON was in 2003 and my eyes ARE getting stronger now-- but I just can't see when I control that eye... It's just another little frustration in the life of this MSer!

MSNik · 08-22-2007, 06:13 AM

I feel for ya Lisa. Eyes are so important. Thanks for taking the time to explain your situation. I didnt know much about it.

Have you seen a Neuro Opathamologist? I see one, and hes great. I feel like for the first time ever, my eye health is being addressed. As a person who has worn glasses since I was a kid, I thought I was an expert at opthamologists, vs. optomistrists, etc. But a NEURO-Opth; wow! They do some really cool tests and have some equiptment which Ive never experienced before. MY MS and the bouts of optical neuritis led me to this doctor...maybe one of them could help you at least to get your questions answered and put you on the right track. I wouldnt even try to answer your questions on this one....your eyes are too important to guess at.

Good luck. Hope you feel better.
Nikki

Bearygood · 08-22-2007, 08:28 AM

Lisa, I don't have a real answer for you, but I too had a lazy eye as a kid.

It wasn't totally out of control but because I could move it I used to play with with it and do it for fun! Now I was very young but I remember the doctor telling me something scary would happen if I didn't stop playing with it!

So I did! And it that sense, I did retrain the muscles and today, I wouldn't be able to move it to be "lazy" if I tried.

So, it can't hurt!

When I got Optic Neuritis, my sister made a point of asking me if it was my "lazy eye" -- I'm NOT going to go so far as to make a connection that maybe that one was more susceptible but yes, it was the same eye.