If you feel eye pain, notice that colours appear to
have faded, experience double or blurred vision
or seem to have ‘blind spots’ seek medical help.
Seeking treatment early and having your eyes
This usually affects one eye.
Eyesight may appear blurred; colours appear
faded, particularly noticeable with the colour red;
and/or eye can feel painful, especially when
looking to the side.
Optic neuritis which is inflammation of
the eye nerve.
Historically, in 90 per cent of people,
eyesight can return to normal without treatment
but this could take up to 12 months. Oral
steroids are sometimes prescribed but if your
symptoms are severe, your neurologist may
consider intravenous steroids to speed up
recovery.
Optic neuritis occurs when the
optic nerve, which connects the eye with the
brain, becomes inflamed. This results in a short
circuit interrupting the messages to the brain
where the image seen by the eye is analysed
and interpreted. With demyelination, the nerve
lining is damaged and the area becomes
inflamed. This is when a person will experience
pain and a decrease in vision. Vision does
return; however, in MS, this may reoccur.
You see two of everything, usually
side-by-side. You may also notice ‘jumping
eyes’, where your eyes can move horizontally in
an involuntary, jerky fashion.
comprehensively assessed can determine how
much inflammation is present. It will also help to
determine if your doctor can help to speed up
the recovery of your vision.
MS is affecting the part of your brain
stem that coordinates your eyes.
There are three general approaches
to correct double vision: conservative treatment,
‘prism’ glasses or surgery. The conservative
approach is to wear an eye patch over one eye.
This allows you to see one image and most of
the time the double vision will begin to improve
in the first three months. If the condition is
severe and the recovery is only partial, special
‘prism’ glasses that help to line up the images
may be required to help you see single images.
If the eye alignment is severe and not
recovering, you may need eye muscle surgery;
however, this is rare.
Our eyes are like two cameras
that should take the same image. If
communication is interrupted due to an irritation
involving the area that coordinates the two eyes,
the eyes don’t work together as they should and
can result in double vision.
Part of your vision is missing in
different areas of your visual field. Both eyes will
be affected and up to 50 per cent of vision can
‘disappear’.
MS can irritate the area in the brain that
is involved in vision.
Often intravenous steroids are
recommended because this treatment can
continued
speed up recovery. Without treatment, recovery
generally takes between six and 12 weeks.
The visual pathway is like a long
cable that extends from the back of the eye to
the vision area in the brain that is right at the
rear. In MS, if a plaque forms on this pathway, it
can affect both eyes, leaving ‘blank’ spots in
vision. The loss of vision can have significant
impact on a person’s life because they may not
be able to drive or perform a variety of their
usual daily tasks.
Our vision helps us to feel safe because we can
see and avoid obstacles and dangers. Loss of
vision can mean changes to your lifestyle and
independence. It may threaten your ability to
earn a living, and can make other roles in life
more difficult.
You may fear that your eyesight will not recover
and you may be frustrated because you cannot
undertake activities which require better vision.
Initially you may experience panic and you will
likely remain anxious about how long the
recovery might take.
Don’t feel guilty if you feel distressed. However,
try not to spend too long with unhelpful, negative
thoughts. Solution-focused coping helps people
more than emotion-focused coping.
As soon as you are able, turn your attention to
seeking solutions for the problems that arise.
Seek out information and resources that can
help you to adjust, and focus on what you
do. For example, if you miss reading, seek out
audio resources such as talking books.
People who are not able to undertake previously
valued activities are more prone to negative
thoughts, and hence low moods which could
lead to depression.
Keep in close contact with your neurologist and
GP. If you’re not coping emotionally, you may
benefit from counselling, psychological therapy,
or support from our peer support groups or our
support workers. Vision Australia is also a good
source of support.
You may fear the stigma attached to permanent
vision loss. If so, remember that many great
people have had brilliant careers and good lives
despite severely impaired vision.