Liisa Ecola lay on the sofa in the living room of her Capitol Hill home counting the hours until she could see a specialist who, she fervently hoped, would tell her why she could no longer keep her eyes open.



For several months, the 42-year-old transportation policy researcher for Rand had been squinting, even in the dark. Her puzzled optometrist had suggested she consult a neuro-ophthalmologist, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the eye originating in the central nervous system.