Lets talk about scotoma's

[Sidesteps]

I'm annoyed with mine at the moment and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced the same.

I noticed my little spot about 5 months ago... I was laying in bed and saw a little "floating dark object" in my vision. It moved with my eye moving and I kinda played with it a bit (yes, I was entertaining myself a bit.) It was very very tiny. Hardly noticeable.  I'd attribute it to the size of ball point pen head.

I have had fluctuating issues with my vision for going on 8 months. Since, initial onset -- the visual fog has let up. The pain on movement is down to about 15% of the time. The head-ache is down to about 5%. My blurry-ness isn't better. The double vision is not better and I still feel "off balance" in my visual field. (I can't explain this. It feels like I something is just not right yet my acuity is 20/25.)  All of these seem to fade a bit on good days --- double vision is ALWAYS there - but worse in the morning and in the evenings.  

Today is not a good day --- and I've noticed lately that it seems to be getting worse. My "spot" seems to be getting larger and is more noticeable. I am starting to be able to see my little spot with both eyes open whereas before, I had to shut my right eye. (It's in my left eye.) It's a very slight increase in size but it's become rather distracting to see the floater all the time.  

Anyone elses "spot" seem to get worse? I'm not sure if I sure be alarmed or not. I have a repeat VEP and orbit MRI in the next couple weeks so I'm trying to not panic during my double vision and floater experiences but I'm am really beginning to be a little concerned at times about the things I'm seeing. LOL~

Thoughts?

[Sidesteps]

It's funny you say "Right now they're working - yay!" Just three days ago I had a GOOD day. Funny, how this changes so quickly... course, I'm fighting a virus now, so I'm a little jumpy and wobbly as well. :)

I'm feeling a little better. Thank you.

[jensequitur]

The color change you see is because of optic neuritis, almost certainly.  I don't know of any other condition that would cause that.  ON is a weird sort of thing.  I've had it several times (evidently) without even knowing it.  I only noticed the color change when I was trying to get my eyes to be less blurry - closing one eye and rolling it around, then doing the same with the other.  I happened to be looking at a bad hotel painting - in one eye the burgundy color was a washed out pink.

Since then I've had varying degrees of color change.  Right now they're working - yay!

Well, good luck!  It sounds like your doctor knows whats giong on.

[Sidesteps]

Thank you. I was wondering if it became worse. I was going to PM you but I'll post it here so everyone can read. I know everyone has been here in limboland (even if it was for a short time.) This can be kinda scary at times.

Anyhoo, I was just at lunch. My vision is really bad today. I am having such a hard time putting the issues into words so I was analyzing it. I was looking at a TV (actually there were two of them side by side as I was in a bar ;)) and opted to shut one eye then the other. The two eyes see different colors. It's enough that it looks like I'm looking at two totally different TV screens. People look darker in the left eye (red saturation). Greens appear to be more saturated with yellow. (??) The other colors look off maybe darker. The right eye is brighter, people look closer to a normal shade but washed out. I can't tell which eye is seeing normal if either of them are.

SOOO I think, my eyes are completely working against each other and that is why I feel so "off balance." I'm trying to keep all this in perspective. I'm struggling at the moment though... I realize, that it's likely I have early MS. I'm trying to remind myself that all the things I notice (and even things I am now noticing) are all part of the picture that I likely had ON and my VEP was a bad test (or something.)

I LUCKILY just received the phone call for my MRI. My doctor didn't just order a orbit MRI, she is also redoing my brain AND the VEP. I guess something she saw was enough to question the previous results!!  Interesting? So good news... these MRI's should be a bit more detailed with closer intervals, at least that is what she told me, so I'm hoping for a clearer picture (figueratively and literally) in the coming weeks. My appointment is the 30th. It is with and w/o contrast of orbit and brain. YAY!

I want some answers to my vision issues.

[jensequitur]

I have at least three, and possibly more scotomas.  Like I said, I started out with one, and then it got worse.  Now they seem to be getting larger - but then again, maybe I'm just noticing them more.

[Sidesteps]

Twist, mine doesn't come and go... it is there like a new loyal best friend. When I first noticed it I did think it was a floater because I didn't really notice it all the time and it was really REALLY small. It is in a fixed location just a bit up from the center just to the left. Gradually it has become larger and I can now see it all the time.

Since, it's not exactly in the center of my visual field, it seems to be easier to see when my eye is positioned a certain way. If I move my eye, the black spot doesn't really "float" (that's a  bad term) it's staying in a fixed position and moving with my eye. Make sense?

Bob, did your scotoma's change? become larger? or do they seem worse some times?

[COBOB]

Floaters (myodesopsia) are common in folks with and without MS.  Myodesopsia is objects that move throughout the visual field and is caused by bit of stuff floating in the fluids of the eye.   The older you are, the more floaters become apparent.   Scotomas are fixed and it is normal to have one in each eye (the blind spot) where the optic disk has no rods or cones.  

If you have more the one scotoma, that is pathological.  Many people who have had Optic Neuritis (ON) get additional scotomas as a result of damage between the retina and the optic cortex. This is a failure in "communication" from the eye to the back of the brain.  Diabetics with "retinal bleeds" also develop scotomas.

Scotomas and myodesopsia are not related, although retinal bleeds can can cause both by damaging the retina and adding "non transparent" foreign matter to the vitreous of the eye.

Bob

[twist330]

Hi There
I've been reading your post with interest. As I seem to get alot more floaters in my right eye than the other. Then the beginning of this week I seemed to have one that was far larger than any I had seen before, a few blinks it had gone the same happened the following day.

Well I thought no more of it until I read your post and looked at the links and the picture of the scotoma is what I have been experiencing. But is it possible for it to come and go like that?

I do have issues with my sight like yourself I get double vision when I'm tired. I also suffer from Blespharospasm in my right eye for which I have botoxalin injections.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Twist

[Sidesteps]

I was going to post a picture but it won't let me. Is there a way to post picture I'm unaware of?

Okay, so it's a little black dot (hole) in the center of my visual field. There is a wonderful beach picture with a dot in the middle of the screen. That is what it looks like except it's quite a bit smaller and moves with my eye movement (so the appearance is that it floats.)

Here is the link. :)

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=picture+of+a+scotoma&view=detail&id=EDD3A0D99594D57A7CC05A226413A43F40CED484&first=61&FORM=IDFRIR

[Sidesteps]

It's a scotoma. A little black dot that is bigger than it initially was. I went from barely noticed it to seeing occasionally to seeing it now with both eyes open. I'm wondering if it's the increase in temperature but it's definitely larger and more noticeable. I was making light of a very troubling issue for me at the moment and using an "endearing" term.

The other issues are chronic and not floaters...I can't really describe what's going on with my vision in my right eye.

[supermum_ms]

I'm confused lol are you saying you've got a scotoma or the little black floaters?

This site has picture of the vision affects of a scotoma, if it doesnt work just google 'pictures of a scotoma' and it will come up. Scotoma's are perminent loss of vision, largish blobs or halo's.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=picture+of+a+scotoma&id=6F3CB3D9DACA7FCBA0DE8E52AF44879B13CB511A&FORM=IGRE4#x0y0

Floaters are not the same, floaters are one of the most common vision issues and dont necessarily mean there is a problem unless its sudden and many generating a cloud of tiny black dots. They seem to be normal for 30+ and are often associated with nearsightedness.

this is an easy to read site on floater...

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Eye_floaters?OpenDocument

This one has pictures too...

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=picture+of+vision+floaters&view=detail&id=F8D58A006DC8DB33C76A40AFC62EC4CC0A61EADA&first=0&qpvt=picture+of+vision+floaters&FORM=IDFRIR

I've got a few vision issues similar, including floater and i also see stars though not flashes of light its more like the black floater but white/silver, i haven't actually given them much thought since the optometrist said it was normal.

Cheers........JJ

[Sidesteps]

P.S. I also describe it like there is something in my peripheal vision that I can't really see.  She did ask me if it felt like things were like cars passing me by.... that could be partially it as well...but just in the right eye.

[Sidesteps]

I have compared the two eyes. My right eye vision is 20/25. My left is 20/20. I told my doctor it almost seems like I'm able to see in "normal" with my left eye (even though that is where my scotoma and double vision is) but my right eye is doesn't see depth. The depth perception is non-existent. Everything is "flat" and like I'm looking at a picture. In fact, that's a pretty accurate description but it is SO weird to explain it. The right eye is also where I have decreased sensation and been told I had/have slight INO. I do notice a slight change in color between the eyes but I can't tell which eye is off. I really think I have multiple issues going on with my eyes. I have moments where I am a little freaked out by it all.

Oh Jens, I started my tremor medicine. No change. I'm being a good girl and taking it because I want to give the doctor solid feedback. Every little step will get us closer, I hope.

[jensequitur]

Mine started with a little ditty dot in my right eye.  Recently things have gotten worse.  I'm now seeing double out of my right eye - not sure if that's astigmatism or neurological.  Black bubbles/colored flares/bright lights show up in my right eye.  Many times I'll look and see a black dot on the wall, and so I'll look back to make sure it's not a bug.  So far it's always been my eyes.  This has been getting worse.  

However, my OCT test says that my left eye RNFL is actually thinner than my right eye.  I think the spots are actually damage to the optic nerve - I'm not sure how RNFL affects visual acuity.

You mentioned feeling off balance.  Have you compared the vision in both eyes?  My right eye makes everything look far away, and it looks like things recede in my vision as I move forward - kinda like a bad horror movie, where the hallway seems to get longer in front of you. Things in the left eye are a little easier to make out.

[Sidesteps]

LOL - I do sort of feel my "spot" is like an unwanted friend. ;)

[Sumanadevii]

Well, to be honest...laughing here...I thought it was a poster ya wanted to talk about...lol

I can't be of much help.  I hope Cobob sees it before leaving town.  He has the eye issues too...