The Fear of Vision Symptoms
Multiple sclerosis can create a lot of frightening moments. From unexpected falls to sudden jolts of pain, this disease has plenty of options when it comes to striking our hearts with fear.
When MS affects one of our primary senses
Some of the scariest symptoms have to do with one of our primary senses: our ability to see. Often, vision problems are the very first symptom that people with MS notice, and it may become the driving factor that sends them in search of a diagnosis. No matter how early or often we’re forced to confront these attacks on our sight, vision issues remain a scary symptom for those with MS.1
How MS causes vision problems
OK, by now you hopefully have a good idea of how MS works. Our immune system gets overactive and attacks the lining (myelin) around our nerves. This attack damages or destroys that lining, making that nerve less efficient at conducting electrical signals from the brain. The brain says to do something, and because of that damage to the myelin, the signal doesn’t arrive in time, or at all, or only partially arrives. We start to have problems with our vision when this damage is done to the nerves that control our vision.1,2
When our vision is affected, we can experience several types of issues:
Optic neuritis
When the optic nerve becomes inflamed, this can manifest in several ways. This includes blurred or dim vision, color vision loss, pain when moving the eyes, and potentially even full vision loss. Typically, this only happens in one eye at a time, and vision will return to normal.1
Nystagmus
Involuntary movement of the eyes. Often called “dancing eyes” because your eyes may rapidly move side to side or up and down. Not only does this affect our ability to see, but it can be very disorienting as well.1
Diplopia
Double vision brought upon when the nerves that control our eye movement have been affected by MS. The muscles that control our eye movements are suppose to be coordinated. When the nerves of one of those groups of muscles are affected by MS and the other nerves are not, it can manifest itself as this type of double vision.1
Featured Forum
View all responsesLiving with MS vision problems
As I mentioned before, anything that causes vision problems is extremely frightening. Even if you know that your vision will return to normal, there is always that slight fear that it won’t. It can also affect nearly every aspect of your life. Vision issues were not among my early problems (as they normally are for those with MS). They came later in the form of extremely blurred vision and also impaired side vision.
My vision issues are actually one of the ways I first begin to realize that I need to rest or cool off. The warmer I get, the blurrier my vision becomes and eventually, the sides of my vision becomes dark to the point that I have little to no real peripheral vision. No matter how used to it I am, it can still cause me to worry. I know my vision normally returns, but what if it doesn’t? What if this isn’t old damage but the part of a new exacerbation that takes my sight forever?
Vision issues can mess with your head
There is just something about losing one of your primary senses that can really mess with your head. Like so many things with this disease, it’s a mind game. It can be good to reassure yourself that you’ll be OK and that, statistically, you should be fine, that your vision will return. Patience is the name of the game. That said, if you suspect that your vision issues are new or extremely worsened, get in touch with your neurologist.
Thanks so much for reading and always feel free to share!
Devin
My Other Articles On MultipleSclerosis.net - Follow Me On Facebook
Join the conversation