Dear all,
Strange old week. My symptoms got really bad at the beginning, took a trip to A&E who sent me away but I got a neurologist appointment for tomorrow evening.
Last night I was watching telly in bed and decided to read the news on my phone (the room was dark, the phone was obviously bright) I noticed that the screen looked grey and as if it dimmed (you know how after a couple of seconds phones dim to save power?) I covered one eye and the screen was brilliant white and crystal clear but I covered the other eye and the screen was grey and dimmed and the writing was slightly doubled (although I could still read it).
I assume optic neuritis. I’d also like to add that this has got no better or no worse this morning and during the day.
I went back to sleep thinking theres nothing I can do at 12 am!
This is my dilemma: as it hasn’t got any worse is this a medical emergency? Or shall I wait until I see a neurologist tomorrow. I don’t really want to spend the day in hospital for them to eventually tell me there’s not much they can do. Even if they refer me to an Opthalmologist, the neuro could tomorrow too?
What do you all think x
PS. The difference is not as pronounced in daylight…maybe I’ve had this for a while and it was pronounced by the bright phone against the dark room? x
When I had ON if I looked at a light in a room I could see the shape but it was dark and grey.
When you move your eye (looking up, down, left or right) does it hurt?
Simply put, ON is not an emergency per se. It will right itself. BUT there are other eye problems which are an emergency so really, you should get checked out to be on the safe side and not just assume its ON.
PS - when I say it will right itself, IV steroids can speed up the recovery.
When I had ON I lost the vision partially in my right eye. If I moved my eye up or down, or right to left it was painful and I had a headache behind my eye. I went to the Eye Infirmary who sent me home and told me if it got worse to go back. I did go back when my sight went completely in that eye and they ended up putting me on IV steriods for 3 days in hospital, then a further months treatment. Got to say though, thankfully my vision came back fully. If you go to hospital they will either send you away or you get admitted for 3 days to speed up the recovery of something that will in time, hopefully right itself.
Putting it simply, it’s probably better to get it checked out just incase there is something else going on.
When I had ON I lost the vision partially in my right eye. If I moved my eye up or down, or right to left it was painful and I had a headache behind my eye. I went to the Eye Infirmary who sent me home and told me if it got worse to go back. I did go back when my sight went completely in that eye and they ended up putting me on IV steriods for 3 days in hospital, then a further months treatment. Got to say though, thankfully my vision came back fully. If you go to hospital they will either send you away or you get admitted for 3 days to speed up the recovery of something that will in time, hopefully right itself.
Putting it simply, it’s probably better to get it checked out just incase there is something else going on.
Hi Emma!
I’ve just written a similar post before seeing this!
I woke a few hours ago with a significant loss of vision in my left eye - I can see but it’s like someone has turned the dimmer switch down just in that eye! There is no pain as such - although it’s starting to make me feel a bit sick & dizzy x
I’m waiting for the surgery to open to try to speak to my GP x I was diagnosed a while ago with glaucoma in both eyes so I’m not taking any chances xxjenxxx
Thanks all for your replies. I know the sensible thing to have done would be to have got it checked out but my neuro is today and I couldn’t risk missing it and thought he could refer me as quickly as going through the channels will! It hasn’t got any worse or any better. Hi Jen, just read your post, sounds very similar! I would be interested to hear what your outcome is 
Emma x