Optic Nerve Damage: Symptoms

What symptoms might occur with optic nerve damage?

Common symptoms of optic nerve damage include vision distortion, loss of vision, eye redness, and pain when moving the eye. These symptoms may also be present with a variety of other eye conditions, so a proper diagnosis by a qualified medical professional is needed.

In some cases, there may not be any symptoms of optic nerve damage or the conditions that can lead to optic nerve damage. That is why it is important that you have regular eye examinations throughout your lifetime to best ensure early detection and treatment of eye conditions and to minimize the risk of permanent damage to the eye and vision.

Eye and vision symptoms of optic nerve damage

Optic nerve damage can cause symptoms that affect the eyes and your vision, which may occur in one or both eyes including:

• Bulging of the eyes

• Complete or partial loss of vision

• Diminished ability to see fine details

• Diminished color vision or colors seem faded

• Dimming or blurring of vision

• Double vision

• Eye redness

• Impaired reaction of the pupil to light or dilated pupil

• Involuntary movement of the eyes

• Seeing blind spots in your peripheral vision

• Seeing rainbows or halos

• Severe eye or brow pain or pain when moving the eye

Other symptoms of underlying causes of optic nerve damage

Symptoms of optic nerve damage may also occur with symptoms felt outside the eyes. For example, optic nerve damage due to a stroke may occur along with memory loss and difficulty understanding speech. Other symptoms may include:

• Fatigue

• Fever

• Headache

• Joint pain

• Memory loss

• Mild general dizziness or weakness

• Nausea or vomiting

• Tingling or weakness of extremities

• Trouble concentrating or forgetfulness

• Unexplained weight loss

Symptoms that might indicate a serious or life-threatening condition

In some cases, the symptoms of optic nerve damage might indicate a life-threatening condition or a serious condition that can permanently affect your vision. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of the following symptoms:

• Blurred vision or other vision symptoms after head trauma

• Change in level of consciousness, lethargy, unresponsiveness, or passing out

• Change in mental status, such as confusion or disorientation

• Facial droop

• Numbness or paralysis in any part of the body

• Seizure

• Severe eye pain, which may be accompanied by eye redness

• Severe headache with vomiting or nausea

• Sudden difficulty speaking, slurred speech, or understanding speech

• Sudden loss or distortion of vision, such as double vision or halos around lights

• Sudden weakness