Urgent - Please Help

[prairiegirl37]

Hello, I was diagnosed with MS in 2008.  My first episode was February of that year after developing Internuclear Opthalmoplegia, double vision etc.  In March 2008 i developed photosensitivity to fluorescent lighting but have no problems with sunshine or daylight bulbs.  I am currently in an employment court case with my employers over reasonable adjustments.  I previously worked in a large office where we had daylight bulbs in place, but had to move to another office without daylights and soon became ill.  They have refused on many occasions to help put in daylight bulbs, i have even suggested a small room to work in which would only need one or two bulbs to enable me to return to work but they have refused.   Last year my employer asked me to see an OHC.  My solicitor is disputing the OHC's report because of his failure to include Internuclear Opthalmoplegia and missed some other important details but only said that i had Optic Neuritis.  He also said that he was 'unable to to find any credible scientific literature on relevant adverse health effects associated with the spectral characteristics of light sources', again we are challenging this comment.  My question is, if you can help please;  how many of you suffering with MS has problems with fluorescent lighting?  It seems that i have to prove that i do have a problem with lighting which has upset me a great deal.  I have had great support with eye specialists, my neuro and ms nurse but my employer is trying to strike out my claim.  I have tried sunglasses and wrap around sunglasses which do not help at all.   My employer is just listening to the OCH and his report, so i am trying to get more information on how many others suffer with this problem.  I'm desperate for anyone to tell me about any problems with lighting and then i can present this to the judge.  Its hard having this illness but what makes things worse is that some professionals don't understand or have as much or any knowledge about how MS really affects people.  Thank you and kind wishes to you. xx

[Valkyrie568]

I forgot to mention that regular halogen headlights or any bright lights cause the same problems for me, but I would estimate that those blue headlights make it 3-4 times worse than any other light source.

[Valkyrie568]

High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, the ones that look blue, are a real problem for me. My right eye, which is giving me ON-like symptoms, reacts to those headlights with sharp stabbing pain and major vision reduction. I have had to pull off the road for a few minutes until the pain is better and I can see again if I meet several cars in a row with those kind of headlights. My job requires a lot of night driving, and honestly, that issue is one of the most problematic for my ability to go back to work.

I am listed as "Clinically Probable" for MS with a lot more tests coming up in April.

Valerie

[prairiegirl37]

Thank you for you comment i will definately have a look at the websites.  I know people with epilepsy have lighting problems but didn't know about people with lupus.  As i've said to Opie that i just hope others come in to let me know if they suffer with lighting and are ok with daylight bulbs and maybe have the same symptoms as myself.   i can then print this off and show the judge that im not the only one and im sure i cant be the only person with MS and lighting problems.  Thank you again for giving me the websites and hope you're well xxxx

[prairiegirl37]

Thanks Opie for your help.  I have had problems with lighting constantly, a lot of people have said its the flicker and what hertz the bulbs and not the brightness. Lighting but not daylight bulbs kicks off my MS symptoms which stop me in my tracks as i get a funny head feeling of being drunk, my pain escalates, balance goes funny as well as my speech and thinking.   Are you ok with lighting or just with computers?  I hope some others come in on this topic as i really need to know how many people and how it affects them, then show the employment judge.  Thanks again and hope you're ok xx

[supermum_ms]

Not sure if these are usefull or not, suppose to be research based so it might at least, give you some additional directions to follow.

http://mpkb.org/home/lifestyle/light/photosensitivity

http://www.mendeley.com/tags/photosensitivity/

Lol mendeley has over 4500 articles on photosensitivity, that will keep you busy. Another direction is lupus and epilepcy, lots of reseach on the topic that specifically mention fluresant lighting.

Hope it helps.............JJ

[opie74]

Sometimes I have a phenominon that is almost like a strobe light.  If I am in a brightly lit room and turn off the lights or dim them significantly (as when going to bed), the residual light causes my eyes to dilate and undilated rapedly over and over again.  I do know that florescent lights can cause migrane headaches because they flicker.  The thing about the long florescent bulbs is that they flicker even when you don't notice it.  It is like the refresh rate on a tv or computer screne.  If you ever record your computer or tv screne with an older video camera, you can see the refresh rate, but you really don't notice it with the naked eye.  Florescent bulbs can do the same thing.  They often verry quickly in brightness and the naked eye does not notice.  However, if you havesomething going onwith your retna like I do, you would notice those fluxuations.  I know that befor I resigned from my job to be a stay at home mommy, I went through 3 computer monitors in 9 months.  I finally found one that I could not see refresh out of the corner of my eye.  It can make you sizy.  Sunglasses really wold not help. It is not the brightness, but the fluctuation in brightness.  
I am by no means an eye Doctor, but I would mention this and see if they agree.

Best of wishes,
ann