Central Retina Vein Occlusion.

[samurai2565]

After having open heart surgery in 2014 ( a mitral Valve replacement ) and then the problem with Mycobacterium Chimaera scare and all the problems I had with Ramipril after 5 years I managed to get off all my medication only to be hit with Central Retina Vein Occlusion. In short its a stroke in the eye, my left eye. I have now lost the sight in my left eye and it could happen to the right eye. The cause for this seems to be the same for heart disease High Blood Pressure. I purchased one of the blood pressure testing machines to monitor my blood pressure and it was good. I don't smoke, I don't drink Alcohol, I exercise, I eat fruit and Yoghurt every morning I eat well, being ex-Royal Navy chef. So bad luck can strike anyone. Losing my sight after all the past unfortunate scares these past 5 years is a real downer. especially coming up to my late years. So all I can say is start your healthy regime early at the very least you will strengthen your odds of having a better later life. Sometimes life is a real downer but you have to live with what you are given only you can change that. You may wonder what eyes have to do with the heart. Its all about one thing what pumps through your heart ~ BLOOD. If it's not right you will have problems. Saying that when I had my angiogram I was told I had the clearest arteries they had ever seen on someone of my age. I don't really know what went wrong yet I am still having tests. The blockage in my left eye arteries has caused the loss of sight I am not a doctor so I can't understand yet but it's getting a lot scarier.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Hello and welcome to the forum! A colleague has a blind spot in one eye as this happened to him a couple of years ago. He was immediately put on a statin and aspirin to protect against a reoccurrence. Were you on any medication when these events occured?

[samurai2565 in reply to MichaelJH]

No I managed to stop all medicine on instructions from the heart specialist in hospital and my doctor. They have put me back on Asprin 75 mg now and Lansoprazole

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

I am so sorry to read about your experience.

Losing the sight in you eye is scary. Not knowing why makes it feel scarier.

My coronary arteries are also clear but I still live with debilitating angina and neurological symptoms.

My blood vessels narrow temporarily due to spasms. Vasospastic angina.

I have been prescribed clopidogrel to help prevent micro clots forming which could cause either a heart attack or stroke.

I know of another person with vasospastic angina who has lost their peripheral sight due to vasospasms.

I hope they find the cause of your occlusion soon and you then can receive the appropriate treatment to help prevent it happening again.

[samurai2565 in reply to Milkfairy]

Thank you for your reply I read it with interest. Getting older is scary I don't look forward to getting up each day no more not knowing what else has happened. Losing your sight is in my estimation one of the worst fears anyone could have. They keep doing tests on me but keep throwing back on me what is my blood pressure what is my cholesterol level. both are ok when the tests come back yet still they keep testing me there must be something else and with my luck, it will be something rare!

[stevejb1810]

I had a similar event but count myself lucky that I only lost about 25% of my field of view in my left eye and 3 years or so on, I hardly notice it in most day to day situations. I had this event some 18 months before being diagnosed and getting a triple bypass. I’m now on medication, including aspirin and lansoprazole, and keeping my fingers crossed it never happens again but one never really knows what’s waiting around the corner.

You were very unlucky and you are right that we should all take onboard a healthy lifestyle but even if we do everything that every expert says we should, sometimes sh*t happens.

It goes without saying that I hope things stay stable and you do not have a repeat performance. Thanks for sharing your story and be careful with the knives!

[samurai2565 in reply to stevejb1810]

I am very careful with knives but thanks for the advice lol. Yes, life is shit sometimes. Sadly photography is my hobby and making travel videos its a lot harder doing that now losing one eye. I feel too that the aspirin they put me on when I left hospital could have prevented this vein from leaking we will never know, I just wish Doctors would explain why things are done. I just thought they put me on all those pills because of my open heart surgery, seems not now. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

[Prada47]

Morning samurai

Interesting post, I seem to have had vision changes since my surgery and then stents. Seeing my optician in the next week (busy week with Holter on Thursday) to see what's going on.

So you used to be a specialist in Spam Fritters one of the Navies better dishes lol

Regards

[samurai2565 in reply to Prada47]

The funny thing about all this is that last September I went to Specsavers to have a full eye test they passed me but said my vision was borderline. So I had glasses for driving which made it better. No problem was detected with that test at the time. This all happened within one week commencing the 7th January so this is how quick this problem starts and ends. I never had Spam Fritters at Ganges or after, I now only eat healthy food or at least try to do.

[Prada47 in reply to samurai2565]

Hi Samurai

Spam Fritters must have been a Raleigh Speciality, and a Saturday afternoon Tea when alongside for a quick easy snack !!! I wonder if it is possible to see a potential bleed with routine equipment in an Opticians like Specsavers.

regards

Once Navy Always Navy

[samurai2565 in reply to Prada47]

I understand that the eye scanner at Specsavers can pick up that problem they then recommend you go to hospital, that's how I understand correct me if I am wrong. That's why I went for the full eye test.

[Love100cats]

How far we have come since the days when the heart was seen as just a mechanical pump. Our life is in our blood and that effects the whole body.10/10 for having clean arteries! You should be proud of that as so many have clogged arteries. That will help in your general health and one thing less to worry about.