Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a lifelong disease that attacks the human Central Nervous System. MS damages the brain and spinal cord and causes the human immune system to attack the body’s nerves. Depending on which nerves in which body part has been damaged, a person will experience related symptoms. This article will explore the query of how MS affect the eyes, what its symptoms are, and more. So, without any further ado, let’s explore!
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Eye Symptoms
The typical early symptoms of MS eyes include the following.
- Color blindness
- Blurry vision
- Pain when the eyes move
- Pain at the back of the eyes
- Loss of peripheral vision
- Temporary Loss of vision in one or both eyes.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) And Eye Problems
The effects on vision will be one of the earliest signs of MS. The patient’s immune system attacks the nerves that control eye movements. These can be internal eye nerves or optic nerves, which connect the eyes to the brain. There are various vision problems a person with MS may experience up to varying degrees.
Uncontrollable Eye Movements
MS causes a person to lose control of their eye movements. One or both eyes will move back and forth continuously. A person cannot make their eyes move in a particular direction deliberately. Stationary objects will appear to be in motion to a person affected with advanced MS. These symptoms can be mild or severe, depending on the stage of MS.
Blurry Vision
When the immune system attacks the nerves controlling the eye muscles, they lose their proper functionality, which is necessary for clear vision. The images we see are formed in the eye when light rays enter the eye. Since eye muscles do not work correctly in MS, they fail to process images, which is their job, and as a result, the vision gets blurred.
Double Vision
The muscles of the eye work in synchronization to produce the images we see. The eyes, central nervous system, and brain work harmoniously to have perfect vision. In MS, the eye muscles within one eye are affected, as is the coordination between the two eyes. Therefore, the image data sent to the brain is corrupted, leading to double vision.
Eye Pain
The optic nerve, the main nerve between the eyes and the brain, gets attacked in MS and inflated. This inflammation results in pain, which accompanies eye movements. Eyeache may be accompanied by loss of vision, blurred vision, or dull vision.
Heat Worsens Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
When exposed to bright sunlight or higher than normal heat levels, such as cooking in the kitchen, a person can experience symptoms more than usual. This is because the core body temperature rises due to the external heat in the environment. The nerves, which are already damaged and have lost their protective conductive coating, cannot transmit signals properly. The nerve signal slows or dies down completely.
Loss Of Color Visibility
In MS, the loss of color visibility and the appearance of bright colors as washed out and gray is commonly experienced. This is accompanied by losing the ability to discriminate between different colors. This may be slight where a person cannot only distinguish shades of a particular color. However, it can also be severe, where a person cannot differentiate between colors.
Loss Of Vision
The optic nerve connecting the eye to the brain may itself be damaged in MS, due to which the transmission of information between the eye and the brain breaks down. The malfunctioning of the internal eye muscles further exacerbates this. Neither can the eyes perform their job correctly nor can the data they send to the brain be transmitted efficiently. This leads to partial or total loss of vision.
Blindness
With time, MS symptoms can worsen. Vision loss usually occurs due to damage to the optic nerve, which connects the eyes to the brain. Blindness with the progression of MS is still, however, rare. MS more commonly results in temporary loss of vision for at most a few weeks. Blindness may even occur in just one eye, which is still unusual.
Conclusion
Hence, MS affects the eyes is a complex query however, there are various ways it affects the eyes. It is recommended to always have a keen eye on the symptoms to detect Multiple Sclerosis early. For more details, seeking advice from a healthcare professional is recommended.
FAQ’s
Does working in the kitchen affect Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?
Heat exposure to the body raises the overall body temperature. The nerves in the eyes, brain, and central nervous system are typically insulated, but in MS, the insulation gets damaged. They cannot transmit signals correctly when exposed to heat, causing more pronounced MS symptoms.
Can MS patients view colors correctly?
One of the symptoms of MS is color deficit, where a person cannot distinguish the shade of a color, different colors, or see any color except whitewashed gray.
Can Multiple Sclerosis Cause Blindness?
Blindness due to MS is very rare and occurs in exceptional cases. At most, there may be partial loss of vision in one or both eyes, which is temporary and not permanent.
Does Ms Affect Your Eyes?
Yes, it’s very common. The MS could affect your eyes in different ways
