SIGHT CHANGES AND NOT SEEING WHAT IS THERE

[rideabike]

Have noticed change over the last three years of not seeing what I am looking at and want to know if it happens to others. If I am looking for or at something it sometimes doesn't register. Also I often have to tell myself what I am thinking I'm seeing and what actually seeing are two different things. Someone recently wrote in of this phenomenon and I lost the post. If you see this could you reply? Thanks, and others as well.

[sharron2]

This happens to my husband all the time. He had a mental functioning assessment and the psychiatrist said this is a common affliction among some with parkinsons. The brain fails to identify what it sees. He recommended that when my husband puts his glasses on the breakfast table- he say out loud "glasses on the breakfast table". This is to imprint on his brain in another way other than visual to help him remember where he put the glasses. He does not do this, but you could try and see if it helps. Also writing down the location of things is another way to imprint on the brain.

The doctor said my husband is operating at a normal level, though, I see some small deterioration. Most people would not be aware of his small deficits. I am thankful he is affected so little, but it can bother him when he can't see things right in front of him.

[rideabike in reply to sharron2]

That's me exactly and glad to hear it is minor at this point. Sometimes I have to correct what I think I see as my mind seems to distort or fails to register it. It makes me laugh as I get a thought of what I "see" but is not what it is and often silly and I correct it in my mind. It's when I pass by something over and over again and it's large and right in front of me or read numbers completely wrong as if they don't arrive in the brain and that's when it gets disturbing. Just doesn't register or is slow recognition. I often do what your husband does by telling myself verbally where I put things. I moved 7 months ago and of course everything is in a new place which doesn't help.Thanks for verifying this.

[ronn in reply to sharron2]

I also use your husband's "glasses on the table" strategy but have added wallet, car keys and other "forgetable " items to those tracked. Gloria knows most of my "put it here so I'll remember." places, and usually finds the item first.

[ronn]

It's amazing to hear how much similarity of experience exists among persons whose only shared traits include pd. I have a problem with tools. I can be using a particular tool and, for once, put it away in its drawer. When, later, I return to retrieve the tool, it is not there.

Actually, it is there, but my eyes lie to me. They "look past" the item I am seeking.

[rideabike in reply to ronn]

Makes one wonder why we put stuff away at all. I was leaving out all kinds of stuff on my kitchen table and remembered that's what you do when you're elderly. (oh ... I am elderly). So I decided to put stuff away as soon as I could and am in the same boat as you....and it is some how comforting to hear about it other people doing it. Thanks for the input.

[HeartSong]

Yes, I do that, too. The object I'm looking for is in plain sight, but it doesn't register in my brain. I can look away and then look back again and I'll see it. It would be interesting to know why this happens. Perhaps some vision training exercises would help - just as guess. However, I think it's just as important to give a silent chuckle and move on.

[rideabike in reply to HeartSong]

Yes maybe vision training...one of the items I missed seeing was 8"x5" sq. box I tried to see at least 4 times and could not. It's baffling, happens often with objects and mostly just a time waster but still puzzling as I didn't recognize it but went back over and over and eventually there it was in the place I knew it had to be. I have a small apt. so didn't have to look far. Just another kink in the brain. Heard vision is sometimes affected in PD.

[HeartSong in reply to rideabike]

Now that we are having this conversation, rideabike, I'm wondering if a big part of this could just be being preoccupied with how to maneuver our bodies in this world. The logistics can get pretty complicated when we have to constantly consider where we are in our medication schedule, how close we are to the medication wearing off and could we get ourselves caught in a situation where wear-off could be dangerous. Not having our minds fully on what's in front of us because of constantly internally monitoring our dopamine levels could be a big part of this. What do you think?

[rideabike in reply to HeartSong]

I have not been diagnosed yet and waiting for a Movement Specialist appt. so not on medication and waiting for Zandopa to try. I am very stiff centrally, yes, and have trouble walking at times, hypomimia, tight neck muscles and swallowing/slow digesting problems, shake internally and head as well as so many non-motor symptoms I lost count but would consider myself mild when I hear symptoms of others. I have not developed rigidity in limbs either so these sight changes are probably another symptom of the disease (?) itself. My short-memory is bad too. In Canada the wait time for this specialist is long but I can't go through another winter w/o medication so Zandopa will hopefully work. So that about says it.

[HeartSong in reply to rideabike]

Keep searching. A lot of little helps, added together, can add up to big help.

[LAJ12345]

It’s funny, I used to work with a couple of young guys who could never see things even though the things were where they expected them to be. Eg one day one of them was looking for a pair of scissors on a shelf but couldn’t see them. Even though they were bright red. Of course they ask me the only woman to find them for them and they are exactly where they usually are except the handle is facing the other way than usual! The same happens with the males in our family. I am always asked to find things for them. I ask where did you use them last and sure enough they are usually there but maybe under a piece of paper or something. I had thought it is a male thing!

[ddmagee1]

It is disconcerting when this happens to me. It has happened a few times, when something is right in front of me and I just don't see it. I'm glad that others have experienced this. I didn't say anything to anybody, because I thought that maybe, I was, like, losing it.

[rideabike]

Guess we're all losing "it" ? ….but nice to see here is the positive outlook on this site. It's so helpful so whatever this ends up being we can probably handle it and sharing cuts the unknown down a little. Thanks 😅