immune system https://www.fiteyes.com/taxonomy/term/356/all en Which is it, Glaucoma or Optic Neuritis? https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/hayamorgen/which-is-it-glaucoma-or-optic-neuritis <div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/hayamorgen/which-is-it-glaucoma-or-optic-neuritis" st_title="Which%20is%20it%2C%20Glaucoma%20or%20Optic%20Neuritis%3F" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/hayamorgen/which-is-it-glaucoma-or-optic-neuritis" st_title="Which%20is%20it%2C%20Glaucoma%20or%20Optic%20Neuritis%3F" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/hayamorgen/which-is-it-glaucoma-or-optic-neuritis" st_title="Which%20is%20it%2C%20Glaucoma%20or%20Optic%20Neuritis%3F" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I'm a 50yr old female who had been diagnosed with Glaucoma 2 yrs ago (by Dr. Anne Coleman, Jules Stein Eye Institute,UCLA) and more recently with Optic Neuritis (by Dr. Alfredo Sadun, Doheney Eye Center USC).</p> <p>Some background about myself: I've always had high IOPs (22-28) since my 20s, and low blood pressure (90/60) which had been known to dip even lower perdiocally. About a year ago I was 'diagnosed' with Chronic Lyme (I was bitten in NC when I was 26 yrs old and got the bulls eye rash; I was treated with antibiotics at the time). I put diagnosed in quotations because my Western blot test was inconclusive, but I have markers of immune system deficiencies as well as persistently elevated inflammation markers (TGF-b1, C4A).</p> <p>I had a short episode of Graves (hyperthyroid) disease which had resoved after a very brief 2 months treatment. So it seems my immune system is 'confused': over active against normal body cells but underactive against the systemic infection. My symptoms are: High IOPs (untreated 18-26); vision loss in the left eye characterized by blind spots in the center lower left portion of the VF, loss of contrast, graying or dimming of vision, general loss of acuity, marked color desaturation. There's some cupping and RNFL thining. VF tests show limited loss. Brain &amp; orbits MRI showed no lesions and optic nerve palor. Lumbar puncture showed Oligoclonal bands of unspecified origin.</p> <p>I have been on IOP lowering drugs for a while and they are effective in lowering pressure to about 12-14. However, I feel my vision is continueing to worsen. Other tests have ruled out Lupus, MS, &amp; Devic's disease.</p> <p>At this point I'm confused about whether I have Glaucoma, Optic Neuritis or possibly both. I am searching for a third opinion by an expert who is not too biased by his specialty (i.e. Glaucoma or Neuro), who can evaluate me and give his assessment as to diagnosis and further treatment. I am willing to travel to see such an expert in the Western US. I would greatly appreciate any advice from members of this community with respect to who to go see. I also appreciate any clues into possible exaplanations of my vision loss.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/optic-neuritis">optic neuritis</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/immune-system">immune system</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/neuroimmunology-neuroprotection-optic-nerve">Neuroimmunology</a></li></ul></div> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:21:36 +0000 hayamorgen 1406 at https://www.fiteyes.com THE ROLE OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM IN OPTIC NERVE REGENERATION https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/the-role-of-the-immune-system-in-optic-nerve-regeneration <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="premium-message"><div class="premium_teaser_login"> <p><strong>Only registered users have access to the most valuable content of the FitEyes community: Blogs, Comments, FitEyes Discussion Group Archives, unique information on self-tonometry and other user-generated research.</strong></p> <p><strong>You must register</strong> because we have content that cannot be viewed unless you agree to our terms and conditions. </p> <h4>New users please <a href="http://www.fiteyes.com/user/register" target="_self" title="New user registration">click here to create new account</a> to read more...</h4> </div> </div></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/free-radicals">free radicals</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/inflammation">inflammation</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/optic-nerve">optic nerve</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/neurodegeneration">neurodegeneration</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-4"><a href="/tags/neuroprotection">neuroprotection</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-5"><a href="/tags/nerve-regeneration">nerve regeneration</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-6"><a href="/tags/immune-system">immune system</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-7"><a href="/tags/regeneration">regeneration</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-8"><a href="/tags/oncomodulin">oncomodulin</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-9"><a href="/tags/monocytes">monocytes</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-10"><a href="/tags/central-nervous-system">central nervous system</a></li></ul></div><div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/the-role-of-the-immune-system-in-optic-nerve-regeneration" st_title="THE%20ROLE%20OF%20THE%20IMMUNE%20SYSTEM%20IN%20OPTIC%20NERVE%20REGENERATION" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/the-role-of-the-immune-system-in-optic-nerve-regeneration" st_title="THE%20ROLE%20OF%20THE%20IMMUNE%20SYSTEM%20IN%20OPTIC%20NERVE%20REGENERATION" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/the-role-of-the-immune-system-in-optic-nerve-regeneration" st_title="THE%20ROLE%20OF%20THE%20IMMUNE%20SYSTEM%20IN%20OPTIC%20NERVE%20REGENERATION" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> Sun, 24 May 2009 13:19:37 +0000 dave 500 at https://www.fiteyes.com