Eye Stroke: Hi Folks, Been a while... - British Heart Fou...

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Eye Stroke

Lisa4 profile image
9 Replies

Hi Folks,

Been a while since I posted. Had a shock 2 weeks ago part of my vision was obscured in my right eye. GP referred me to emergency eye clinic. Diagnosed with eye stroke and referred to Stroke Clinic. Has anyone had any experience of this?

GP has immediately put me on statins, apixipan (blood thinner) and taken me off HRT patches. Really shocked by this early warning as I had been feeling so well cycling to work, losing weight and generally feeling good.

I’m left with partial grey spot on my vision, ringing in my ear and general anxiety of what might happen next!!

Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated.

Lisa x

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Lisa4
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9 Replies
Zena166 profile image
Zena166

Hi Lisa. Sorry to hear about your stroke. I had one 2 years ago. Not eye related although I occasionally get a ‘wonky’ eye! . You might like to check out stroke association or different strokes websites Stroke Association do also have a helpline. You are doing all of the right things and all the right medication. Let me know if you need anything else. Take care Zena x

Lisa4 profile image
Lisa4 in reply to Zena166

Hi Zena

Thank you for your response I will take a look.

Take care

jimmyq profile image
jimmyq

Hi Lisa,

I had the same happen to me at Christmas, in my left eye. I was at work and put the phone down and suddenly realized that my vision was wonky. I shut each eye separately and discovered that I was totally blind in my left eye. It partially cleared over a few weeks but seems to have stopped. I now have a blob in the middle that sometimes has a tiny hole through it.

My GP sent me to the Eye Clinic, where I still go monthly to check on progress, and they referred me to the Stroke Clinic. They said that I have had a stroke in that eye ball. After a number of tests, they have discovered that my left Carotid Artery is blocked. They can't operate (bypass or something) because that might cause a stroke in my brain and kill me, so I am left with it. I felt like I was being left to die (drama queen!).

My daughter advised me to watch 2 films, "What The Health" and "Forks Over Knives". The first one is more about USA issues but the FOK was life changing. It is on Netflix and YouTube. It is about global medical heart research and the findings, including a massive study of 800,000 Chinese people. You might find it helpful, I did. I followed up and bought the book "How Not To Die" and have been following the guidelines therein for 3 months.

Our local council runs a scheme of lots of supported exercise for people with long term illnesses, etc. I take part in that, 3 gym sessions a week and accompanied walks, with trained volunteers for safety. I am going to get back into Tai Chi further down the line too. On non-gym days I go for a good walk on my own.

I am hoping to get my vision back before the cells die off completely, the lifestyle changes I have made may help this as well as clear my arteries out.

I am on Atorvastatin (for cholesterol), Bisoprolol (beta blocker), Indapamide (diuretic) and Clopidogrel (blood thinner). I am hoping that my diet and exercise will get me off all these meds in the next few months. I have lost 2 stone, my BP, cholesterol and heart rate are all coming down.

I don't have the ringing in my ears.

Good Luck!

Regards,

Jim

Lisa4 profile image
Lisa4 in reply to jimmyq

Hi Jim

Thank you for your response you sound like you're making great progress. I will check out the two titles mentioned.

Take care

stevejb1810 profile image
stevejb1810

Yes, I have that little grey patch in my left eye. I woke up one morning with it and thought it was just that blurry first thing in the morning vision. I didn't get it looked at for a few weeks after as I was travelling for business. This would be about 18 months ago now (well before I was diagnosed with angina and having a triple bypass - and I'm on statins and beta-blockers for that). It was explained to me as being likely a micro-bleed into the optic nerve. Damage is likely to be permanent.

But that was 18 months and a triple bypass ago. The blind spot shows up in my now annual eye exam, but unless the light is very poor and I'm really tired, in my everyday life, I am totally unaware of the problem - in just a few months my brain was filling in the gaps.

I'm not a worrier by nature, and with the triple bypass I've had something else to think about, but certainly early on it was a concern - would it happen again, etc.. Now it just another one of those things I know isn't quite right, but it doesn't bother me (I'm more concerned about losing my reading glasses than the little blind spot).

Steve

Lisa4 profile image
Lisa4

Hi Steve

Thank you for responding I know what you mean about the reading glasses. So pleased to hear you're doing so well.

Take care

anke123 profile image
anke123

Hi Lisa,

I have had 3 episodes of blurred vision in my left eye. The first time at A&E they did not know what it was, it cleared up quickly. The others happened after angina diagnosis, at stroke clinic the put it down as TIA. It has not left permanent damage, I do take blood thinners and other medication and try to keep fit and eat healthy.

All the best Anke

Lisa4 profile image
Lisa4 in reply to anke123

Thank you for sharing your experiences good to hear you’ve made a good recovery and feeling well.

Take care

gifford7 profile image
gifford7

re: Eye Stroke

I had an eye stroke nov 2017, AION [anterior ischemic optic neuropathy] believed to be caused by GCA. Lost upper half of vision in left eye. However I also have arrhythmia and occasional afib. Then 20 day later an ischemic MCA left brain stroke. GCA is biopsy confirmed. Am now on 40 mg atorvastatin, 40 mg aspirin, 25 mg metoprolol, 50 mg losartan.l. Link:

verywellhealth.com/what-is-...

"Sudden vision loss without pain is the most common symptom of a stroke involving your eye. An eye stroke, or anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION), is a condition in which blood flow either becomes blocked or reduced to the tissues of the front part of the optic nerve."

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