Headache and pain behind eyes

Hi everyone,

I’m a couple of weeks post dx now and the arrrgh feeling is wearing off and the questions are begining.

I started on Wednesday night with an awful headache every time I moved my head, a bit like a really bad hangover without the nausea - or the alcohol for that matter!

Hubby had to drive me to work yesterday as I couldn’t move my head enough without pain to be safe behind the wheel.

Today it’s much better but if I move my eyes left or right, but especially downwards I get pain behind them, mostly the right eye. They are also sore if I rub them, again the right more so than the left.

I’m also getting some light headedness and feeling slightly spacey at times.

Has anyone else had anything similar? Is this something to do with the MS or do I just simply have a headache!

thanks

Shuffler

I sometimes get pain behind my eyes Shuffler. It fels like I’ve pulled the muscle behind them and they become really light sensitive. My neuro said it was probably retrobulbar optic neuritis, so it’s probably worth calling your MS nurse or going to see an opthalmic optician.

Mags xx

Thanks Mags I have my first appointment with the ms nurses on Tuesday so I’ll mention it. Since I posted I posted I’ve also had 2 stabbing like pains as though someone jabbed my eye from the inside with a needle. Oddly it was my right eye this time.

Hi Shuffler,

I would strongly suggest that you should see an opthamologist as you have describned symptoms of optic neuritis especially as you have the pain. Does it hurt to touch the eye, is your vision blurred have you lost any vision, if the answer to these three questions is yes then see your optician to get a referral as soon as possible? Hope you get an appt’ soon.

Janet

x

Thanks for your reply Janet. It did hurt to rub my eyes. They are improved again this morning and only hurt slightly to move them now. No blurring but things did get slightly wired last night. I turned the light out and it was as though I had a patch over my right eye. I covered the left and couldn’t see anything. Turned the light on and everything was normal. Turned it back of and the same darkness in my right eye. Gradually the sight in my right eye lightened to match the left. It was as though the pupil in my right eye only reacted very slowly to the change in light. This morning my vision is totally normal.

Definitely worth seeing an ophthalmologist, even if your vision has improved. Your GP can refer you. Another possibility is migraine. Those shooting pains in your eyes are typical of ocular migraine. The speed at which it seems to have recovered suggests it’s more likely to be migraine than ON, but I could easily be wrong. There are walk in ophthalmology clinics around the country, but you need a letter from your GP for them to see you - so first thing is a GP appointment. Karen x