I've just been told i have a Pale Optic nerve ..help!

[Drewdude]

Hello...
i've been doing so well recetntly, i have tried to stop worrying and been really positive, i've also had lots of distractions that have helped me feel fine.  Now today i went to the opticians and asked for an eye test...now this was mostly to try to confirm that i didnt have ms to mysefl....but she told me i had a pale optic nerve!  As soon as she said it i shuddered cos i've read about it being assiciated with ms so many times.  I dont knwo what to do.  I went to the docs and hes sending me to a nuero now, the optician is going to test for glaucoma.  But i also spoke to my mum, she said my grandmas sister had ms and my mum has had all sorts of wired pains etc (even a concerned optician worried about glaucoma) and has been told she has fibromyalgia...But shes never had a test for ms...! 
I am trying to keep under control but i'm fearing that my ha will be back with a vengence once this sinks in....Please help....does anyone know anything about optic things?

[forestbythesealady]

It sounds like you are doing what you are supposed to do. Go to the doctors. Get everything checked out. Whatever they find, they can treat. Don't jump to conclusion. Just let the doctors do their jobs and get you on the right treatment...if any treatment is needed.

[sixpack]

I haven't heard of a pale optic nerve being associated with MS but I don't know all causes of it.

My eldest does have pale optic nerve--optic atrophy and hypoplasia.  She has other issues with her eyes as well.  These are congenital.  My brother in law also has the same eye issues as my daugther, including the pale optic nerves.  He also doesn't have MS.

Go to the opthamologist.  According to one opthamologist it is somewhat common occurence.

[Drewdude]

Thankyou that makes me feel a bit better.  I wish i hadnt have gone now.  I checked with my mum and she said she has the same thing and the specialist told her it was congenital but i've just phoned my opticians at home (i'm still out of the country) and they dont have any record of anything odd in my eye.  I understand that optic neuritis is a symptom of ms but not sure what the difference is between atrophy and nueritis....
i feel pretty sick now and not sure what to do...just have to wait....but dont really want to hear any bad news. 

[sixpack]

drew

I did look up the causes of pale optic nerve---and it seems pretty synonomous with optic atrophy and hypoplasia (which is my daughter's dx of her eyes).  There are a multitude of causes of this.  However I did read some folks being told by an optician or optometrist that they had pale optic nerves but when they went to opthamologist (namely a neuro optha) it turned out they didn't.  So don't get too upset just yet.

BTW  my brother in law has had this his whole life.  He is legally blind because of it (as is my daughter)--they can see but not well-- BUT his job is wiring businesses for computers and computer programming.  LOL.  so he is doing just fine.

Please, please don't google this okay.

[Drewdude]

yeh i dont really have to google it i remember from my google episode before xmas what it could mean.  I think seen as my mum has got it it must be hereditary but i'm a bit confused as to why its only shown up now.  but she had the same problem, new optician, sent to a specialist for glaucoma tests and he just said that she was probably born with it.  i'm just so annoyed i was finally getting on with life again.... thanks for looking

[ehale]

Hi Drewdude--My MS paranois took me to the opthamologist in July; I was convinced I was having optic neuritis! (Turned out to be floaters.)

HOWEVER--I was also told I had a pale optic nerve and it turned out to be a disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa. So I saw the retinologist, had a visual field, and basically, I have some degeneration of my retina. But with glasses, my vision is 20/20! They only found out about the RP because I demanded a dilated eye exam. I HAVE NO SYMPTOMS and my visual field is fine!

For me, it has casued ZERO problems--if you google it, you will find it only causes severe problems when diagnosed in children or infants! If your case is mild enough that you made it to adulthood without it even being detected, it's probably no big deal and may even be sectoral--that is, it only happens in one part of your retina.

Also, RP is 100% hereditary, and you said that's what your eye problem is, right?

[Drewdude]

Yes that seems plausible. Just really bad timing. The only thing I can notice is a slight difference in colour between my two eyes but I've had this for years. Just wish I hadn't gone now. I'm still sure that most of my symptoms were anxiety and I'm also thinking that surely anxiety could mess with your optic nerves. I mean I don't have ms because my symptoms disapear when I'm not stressed and having fun!!! You know i mean when I get drunk and diony feel depressed I feel fine! That can't be ms it just can't. I've also been getting it mixed up between optic neuritis and atrophy. They are different things and it's all down to google that I got them mixed up. Thanks for your reply it helps alot. Phew keep positive!

[keltoi]

I had optic neuritis in both eyes 7 years ago. I don't have ms. They couldn't identify the cause; put it down to a 'mystery virus'.

[wowthisismetoaT]

It is so sad that we read these things and remember them in such vague ways.  I have done this before too.  Forget that LOTS of women have thickened endometrial lining.  I read once that thickened lining and cancer were linked somehow.  So...the minute I was told I had it, I went straight to "worst case scenario" and made it "only case scenario!"  *sigh*

I am sure you will be just fine.  Your mom does not have MS - she would have been diagnosed by now if she did - especially since she obviously went to doctors with her symptoms and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  What you have is something hereditary and maybe the reason it was not noted in your other charts is because it was just such a non-issue at the time.  My doc told my my cervix was "friable" last week.  I had never been told that before - but then he explained that it was just such a non issue that it didn't matter, so some docs may have never even written it down!

[Drewdude]

Okay i guess i have to wait for the optician to get back to me.  Did you guys freak out about ms when they told you you had a pale nerve?  I went to the docs but cant get an appointment with a neuro until march.  and i cant stay here that long so i just cant find out.  thought about paying for an mri...just dont know how to do it. 
just want this nightmare to be over.  it sounds like it copuld be the pigmentosa thing...can an optician tell whether it is optic neuritis or something else?  oh...the limbo.....
right i've got to stay positicve....the symptom i have had that i cant account fro as anxiety was my initial buzzign foot which started all this.  And that was probably caused by walking loads and loads and carrying a big backpack.  Everything else seems stress related and seems to go off when i have fun and dont worry about it......surely this cant be ms if that happens can it?  my only symptom now is an aching leg that seems to migrate up and down my leg, almost as if the muslces are bruised. i put this down to worry and wearing bad shoes as well as my back issue....
ohhh what can i do...also the tinnitus....thats got to be wax or stress hasnt it?  just this stupid optic nerve thing has really messed me up....what can i do....

[ehale]

I checked with my mum and she said she has the same thing and the specialist told her it was congenital but i've just phoned my opticians at home (i'm still out of the country) and they dont have any record of anything odd in my eye.  I understand that optic neuritis is a symptom of ms but not sure what the difference is between atrophy and nueritis....
i feel pretty sick now and not sure what to do...just have to wait....but dont really want to hear any bad news. 

My chart is full of scary words like "chorioretinal atrophy" and "pigmentary dystrophy"--definitely NOT the same as neuritis!! Did you go ahead and ask if you have optic neuritis? I am 99% sure that an optician can tell--because that's who I went to when they found my RP and he kept promising that no, I didn't have optic neuritis. Then I got referred to the opthamologist.

Also, you CAN have a congenital problem like RP and not have anything in your chart--when I was diagnosed, my mom kept saying, "But we always took you to the eye doctor! Why didn't they find this?" And, basically, it was so mild it didn't show up until I was 30!
 

[Drewdude]

well that would certainly go with what i'm getting, i'm 32.  My mum says she has fibromyalgia and tingling etc but has never been for an mri, she says the doc ruled out 'anything sinister' by doing a bloodtest....not really reassuring me but i guess shes been to enough doctors now to have an accuratish diagnosis.  I'm meant to be going back to the optician for a glaucoma test so i'll ask her then.  I mentioned ms to her but she said i'd have to follow that up with my doctor.  I cant remember whenther she said it was optic neuritis or what she said i just remember her saying it looked pale and could be a sign of glaucoma. 
so i'll persevere with her when i see her again.  It did cross my mind that she says this to everybody, it wasnt very busy and didnt look a very popular place so the more tests they do the more cash they get....i could go get a 2nd opinion i suppose....

[Drewdude]

Hi everyone.  As if i had any doubt of my HA i think it may just have been confirmed.  the optician rang me just now and i told her i was worried and told her i was thinking about neuritis and everything.  She said it wasnt that because that usually would have lots more symptoms and she said it was more procedural and that it was probably genetic.  Anyway she pretty much reassured me so hopefulyl i can get back on track again now.  still going to see her for glaucoma tests but hopefully she wont lead my paranoid mind astray again.

Thankyou all so much for your replies.  This episode was particulary hard for me this week and you all helped enormously.  One other tip for you may help repay you in some way.  Recently i've stopped drinking caffiene and been occaisionally taking this homeopathic de stress liquid that i put on my tongue.  Its called Bach Rescue remedy.  I think the combination of elimiating caffiene and that stuff has helped me to stay a little more in control. 

Thankyou again....i'm sure you will be hearing from me again but for now i may be able to relax....

[ehale]

That is GREAT NEWS! I am so happy for you!

 

Remember, there are plenty of things that can cause a pale optic nerve--try not to freak out and get paranoid about going to the eye doctor and have a great day!

[Drewdude]

Hey everyone, thought that I would give an update on this as I'm really okay and my pale optic nerve was nothing to worry about. When I got home a few months after this I went to an opticians... They said that the nerve was a bit pale but totally within normal limits. Since then my ms fears have declined....my latest fear is for my heart!!! Haha!! Totally ha!!! Thank you all on this site for being there!

[ClassicNerd]

Thank you for posting an update!    I've never seen this post until now but it's sure to help others who suffer a similar fright! I'm glad you're doing well today.