How To Spot Optic Neuritis Symptoms

Hi, my name is Doctor Raj Singh, and I am an NHS doctor and a media medic. I'm going to take you through a series of common medical questions that people often ask me.

In this video we're going to talk about how to spot the signs of optic neuritis.

Now, optic neuritis is a term used to describe swelling or inflammation of the optic nerve and that's the nerve connecting the brain to the eye.

It can occur in isolation by itself or it can be part of an underlying condition, for example; multiple sclerosis, measles and other infections, autoimmune conditions and as a side effect of some medication.

Now, I'm going to take you through some of the common signs and symptoms.

First and foremost is reduced or loss of vision of one or either eye, now this tends to be temporary but occasionally can be permanent. It can also be worse with exercise or heat. The second common symptom is pain and this tends to be behind the eyeball.

Some people find that the pain is worse on activity. You may experience symptoms of reduced colour vision where colours appear faded or washed out. And finally you may have swelling of the optic disc which is the point at which the optic nerve comes and connects to the eye or you may have an altered pupil reaction to bright light; now both of these would only be seen on an eye examination and you may not be able to spot these yourself.



Fortunately most cases of optic neuritis will settle down in two or three weeks, however, treatment of the underlying condition may also be appropriate. It's important to know that optic neuritis can affect your ability to drive and you may need to let the DDLA know. If you're worried that you might have signs or symptoms of optic neuritis then its important to see your doctor and get a thorough medical check.

And that's how to spot the signs of optic neuritis.