Living with Optic Neuritis

The optic neuritis trial was a study that looked at steroids vs no steroids for optic neuritis.  The outcomes were similar for both groups.   I got optic neuritis in my right eye Sept of 11.  The optic neuritis trial results were pretty new and so I did not receive steroids.  I am an RN and did all the research I could for the condition.  I was ending up with a lot of dead ends.  I see an opto neurologist and he had no solutions for me either.  Optic neuritis hit both eyes by June and had left me with no right peripheral vision.  I called a naturopathic practitioner  friend and she  recommended I see Dr Tennant in Dallas  TX.  I flew to TX with no guarantee of results, 2 weeks later I was back home with no major improvements.  I was driving down I 70 and started to cry because I could see my Rgiht elbow for the first time in 4 months.  This is the therapy I have chosen, and am grateful to Dr Tennant and his amazing research and journey,  Please check this option out, for your own sake.  It has worked for me and I have learned a ton from him.  Dr Tennant is an optometrist that also went blind put him into google and you should find his website.  It is expensive, but so is being disabled from not being able to see.  Hope this info helps someone.  Feel free to contact me on facebook.  I was  his first known optic neuritis case. that he tried the therapy on.  It is a type of energy work (which sounds crazy to the western medical side of me ) .  Best of luck to all who have traveled the same road as I, it is not a fun journey to be on. 

I have maintained full vision and wear a contact Rx lower then before optic neuritis.   

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Hi Aliesa, I was diagnosed with ON May 2011 and no steroid therapy was offered or recommended. I am now 5 months down the line and there is little improvement with my vision. I had to go to the eye casualty department last week as I was experiencing "pin-pricking" type pain in my other eye. The ophthalmologist couldn't find anything wrong with my left eye, but on inspection of my right eye, informed me the optic disc was chalky white in colour and the damage is irreparable. I am angry because I wasn't given the option of steroids. I have been off work since all this happened and depression has set in. I live in England. Kindest regards

Daisy, Don't loose hope, try to focus on all the good things theer are in your life. Let us know how you get on with your neurologist appointment. Stay positive! Mary

Hi Aliesa, Thank you for your article and hope you are doing well. I found your personal account both informative and helpful. I was diagnosed with ON on 29th April this year when I lost total vision in my left eye. I was then told that I would have to wait for the inflammation to go down of its own accord, before I would know how much of my vision would return. Not prescribed anything. I was very hopeful at first of regaining my vision and things getting back to normal. However, as the weeks have gone by, some of my vision has come back but nothing like what it used to be. I had an MRI scan that I had to wait four weeks for the result of which came back clear, but has done nothing to allay my fears of having MS. I am now waiting for a neurologist appointment. I am feeling very depressed and still unable to come to terms with my sight loss. How do you manage to stay so positive as I am really struggling, mainly with the uncertainty of knowing that it could strike again. Best Wishes

Dear Aliesa, I hope you're on the road to recovery and doing well. Thank you for your article. I have been recently diagnosed with ON - my experiences here in Scotland is that clinicians are extremely reluctant to prescribe prednisolone (unless your other eye is compromised) - yet very fast to refer for a MRI (The NHS in Scotland is great at certain things!) and essentially I have to "ride out" the symptoms. By the sounds of your experiences with steroids, perhaps this is the best way forward. The downside being the recovery time - especially given the nature of my job, helping pharma companies submit new drug data to the FDA. I knew this wasn't going to be easy when the eye specialist emphatically stated "stay away from the internet", throwing in words like "Lupus" and "MS". Of course, the first thing I do is search the Internet, and it is indeed not for the faint of heart. So I'd like to thank you for your honest and personal account, a welcome contrast to the "whoever et al" clinical type resources. Best Wishes and good health, Graham

Aliesa Thank you for directing people to the Health Recovery Programs at Clearsprings Health Center. Your experience is a good example of what we can accomplish at Clearsprings. In a nutshell, we treat chemical related health disorders and associated modern health conditions. Ths encompasses a wide range of health diorders from fibomyalgia to Parkinson's Disease. There are millions of Americans suffering from difficulult to treat disorders that have 'no known cause and no known cure' that don't neede to be suffering. Most are being treated for the plethora of symptoms adn health disorders that have an unseen underlying factor of chemical accumulation. Overview: In the last 70 years we have created a new problem on the planet - the harmful effects of manmade toxic chemical on human health. Today we live in a chemical laden environment. These chemicals are desscribed by the EPA as Persisten Bio-accumulative Toxins. Persistent, meaning once they enter the environment or your body, they do break down. They are Bio-accumulative, meaning they build up in human body tissue. Toxins because they damage and destry tissue. The fact is that we have all spent a lifetime stockpiling toxic chemicals in our tissues. These same chemicals reduce health, cause disease and even alter genetic function. The Health Recovery Programs at Clearsprings rid the bosy of deeply embedded toxic chemicals and repair the damaged tissues. As a result, your body can health. We live in difficult times and modern health disorders are have reached a crisis level. Aliesa's optic neuritis is a good example. Even with the best mainstream and alternative medical care her problems were not resolving. By addressing the underlying cause and repairing the damage, she was able to break through the hidden barrier that prvented her full recovery. She is also equipped with the knowledge and ability to prevent future health problems. Thanks to Aliesa for having the courage to bare and share her personal life and the details of her struggle with optic neuritis. Hopefully because of her candid disclosure and caring for her fellows, others can overcome needless suffering. Many people want to know how to determine what conditions qualify for treatment at Clearsprings. A good rule of thumb is that if you are suffering from a condition that has not resolved after one year of treatment or if you are taking medications on an ongoing basis, you are a good candidate for the the Health Recovery Programs at Clearsprings. If you want to arrange a consultation phone call witih me to determine if our program is the right action for your recovery, please feel free to contact me through our website: www.clearspringshealth.com I would also be more than happy to answer questions on this blog site. Michael Broeg, DC Director, Clearsprings

Hi - In February 2007, I had an acute episode of Optic Neuritis and went totally blind in my right eye. I was given a 5-pill pack of Prednisone and that was it! I could see improvement and asked to do the treatment again in hopes of further restoration but was denied. I am sick at my stomach because it seems that IV therapy was the way to go. I honestly have considered malpractice on the Dr's part but not really sure if I have a real case. My vision continues to be impaired and I would be considered legally blind. I have asked the Doctors is there is anything I can do at this point but they don't give any good news. If anyone has any recomendations, I would really appreciate it. Thanks

I'm so glad to hear you are doing better! I had optic neuritis on October 31,2010. It was in my left eye and took away my focal point vision; I still had peripheral vision. My vision came back 90%, but I still have a light fog over the eye. It's a daily frustration. Most of the time I can blink and refocus and not notice it. But when I get tired or stare at something for a long time, the fog comes back and it frustrates me. SOme days I get extremely frustrated. I pray that over time I will get back to 100% as well. I'm glad to see your blog.

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hi i was diagnosed with optic neuritis september 2009 unfortunately i never regained my sight in my left eye i find it very frustrating that doctors cant tell you enough why it happens? i was put on high doses of steriods for 3 days and started taking 100mg oral. the inflammation ended interfering with the chiam which then started to affect my right eye in novenber 2009,ive had a drug called cyclophosphate chemotherphy drug to help surpress the inflammation ,right eye nearly back to 20/20. Its been a long road though im still on steriods on 7.5mg now its been over a year now and i hate taking my medication but i have too. i have regular check ups every 3mths hoping they will get me off the steriods this time..

Thank you for sharing your experience. I was diagnosed with ON in August of this year. The doctors at the Cook County ER were somewhat mystified due to the fact that I did not experience pain. After several tests, they ruled out RA, TB, lupus and finally after an MRI, MS. Now I had to leave the state and have done research online and it seems this condition is mysterious. I have chosen not to take steroids at the moment. I have chosen to remove my mercury fillings, due to fact they are toxic and I had four in January. I realize stress is a factor and hopefully destressing will also help with the removal. Have you looked into mercury fillings?

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