1. Pain in One or Both Eyes
One study of optic neuritis found that more than nine out of 10 optic neuritis sufferers experienced mild to severe pain in the eye and cranium. In almost four out of 10 of these cases, the pain preceded other symptoms, such as loss of vision or loss of color vision.
2. Loss of Vision
Optic neuritis sufferers can lose sight suddenly or experience cloudy episodes in which vision is blurred or otherwise obscured. Often, moving the pupil around can exacerbate the pain associated with the condition. Loss of sight can last 7 days or longer. In severe cases, this blindness can be permanent. These vision problems can be exacerbated during and after hard exercise or on hot days. That said, not all optic neuritis sufferers experience vision loss or blurring.
3. Reduced Ability to Perceive Colors
This temporary color blindness can occur in either or both eyes and affects the perception of red more than other colors. In cases in which color blindness only manifests in one eye, you may not notice this symptom unless and until an ophthalmologist performs an examination.
4. Use an MRI to Determine the Health of the Optic Nerve Myelin Sheath
An MRI can help your physician parse your symptoms more effectively and rule out alternative explanations for symptoms, such as a tumor in the region or other neurodegenerative condition. An MRI can also pinpoint the precise nature of the damage to the optic nerve/optic nerve sheath, such as whether it's a lesion or inflammation.
5. Vision Tests
There are three main vision tests doctors use to determine the presence or absence of optic neuritis: a light reaction test, a color vision test and an ophthalmoscopy. In these tests, doctors measure your reactions to light and color stimuli, searching for damage to key structures, such as the optic disk, the optic nerves and the pupils.
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