ON Questions

I have a question for those of you out there who have optic neuritis or have had it.  I have been battling a bout of ON for the past 8 months.  It improved initially with steroid treatment (oral) and then relapsed.  I lost about 70% of my vision in my left eye with the second relapse and was put on IV steriods followed again by a prolonged course of oral steroids.  My vision has not returned since my second relapse.  I was just in to see my opthomologist today and he said that he thought my optic disk looked better and that the ON had likely stopped progressing (little cheer and happy dance ).  He hopes that we will begin to see some improvement in my vision now but he is doubtful that I will regain very much.  I am wondering if people have suggestions on how to make things more comfortable or easier to read.  I have trouble with the computer screens and have to increase my fonts but as those of you with ON may also experience this doesn't really solve the problem.  I love to read and have to for work all the time and I find that reading in diminished lights seem to help -- wondering if anyone has found anything else that helps.  Also I mentioned to him that for the past month I have been having stabbing pain in the back of that eye.  It only lasts for fleeting moments and then is gone.  I also see flashes of light in that eye with the jabs of pain.  This is not like when I have presented with ON where the pain was constant, relentless and worse with eye movement.  It strikes at any time and is not associated with anything I do.  He said "hmmmm" and moved on.  Wondering if anyone else experiences this and will it go away or is this from the nerve damage?

Thanks all!

Thanks Rhonda for the research.  I will be looking at those sites ASAP!  My husband already calls me old lady because I have to use big fonts and Large Print books but as you said snowdog nothing really makes it alright.  The other day we were out walking in and it was dusk.  The moon was rising but it was apparently that light white color where it sort of blends in with the sky.  My husband said "look at the moon, it looks so cool like that"  Of course, I couldn't see it, even after he pointed out the exact location.  Anyhow, he would have a field day with me using a magnifier to read

Snowdog, I am so sorry.  It's so sad to hear that you can't do the things you love, like music.  I played paino for many, many years.  We do not currently own a paino so I hadn't even thought of the problems I would have reading music.  I admit that I have run up against those limitations myself.  Prior to entering vet school I had thought that I would really enjoy surgery.  I am currently in my clinical year and have been trained in surgery but alas, I can't see the tissue plains.  It is all just one big red mess to me (sorry if that is a bit graphic).  Although my current career plans do not have to include surgery in them (good news for dogs and cats everywhere, right) it is a disappointment.  I aggree that living with this foggy, blurry vision is very hard to get used to.  I have never heard of using a blindfold to make the right eye stronger.  I find myself winking all the time so that I only use my right eye though ;)  I hope maybe that things get better for you.  Keep me posted