Two weeks ago I was diagnosed with myopic CNV in my left eye, I went through my first injection last week - and then had a few trips back to the hospital for some minor complications (nodular episcleritis, and then very high eye pressure due to the steroid drops to treat the inflammation) - what a couple of weeks have been! it's going better now and today I put my contact lenses on after 2 weeks - whoohoo!!
Now that things are going in the right direction, I thought I can focus on less intense thoughts and so I have a question on working out and wearing make-up. Do you guys work out during treatment (by this I mean when you are having eye injections) or only after your doctor have assessed there is no longer on-going haemorrhage? What kind of exercises do you do? My doctor told me I am off intense work-outs for life, essentially I can only run-cycle-swim. Have anyone tried low impact workout like barre/pilates (being careful not to put your head down)?
Do you wear make-up? If so, how long after the injection do you wait? I am a bit scared of applying mascara and also the thought of taking make up off after having eye injections feels weird. It would be great to hear stories about how you deal with normal life things like workouts and make-up.
Any other tip is greatly welcome, so I stop browsing the internet and get scared! 😬
Sending you virtual hugs!
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Miss_Luce
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Can't answer for workouts, but as for eye make up...
I avoided on injection day obviously, and then for a further 3 days. Then 4th to 7th days post injection day just used a little eyeshadow and liner, but nothing on inner eyelids. After that used some tinted primer on lashes but not full mascara for another few days, but after about 11 days I was back to normal!
I would certainly avoid false eyelashes during the injection period if you wear them, or anything too heavy.
I used a very light Nivea lotion to remove eye makeup on days 4 - 7.
I have CNV too, coming after CSR. Good luck with your treatment!
Thank you so much for your tips! I might try adding a little mascara in the coming days so I feel I am properly back to normal life! 👁️👁️
If you do not mind me asking, are you still undergoing eye injections? I know for me it's too early to see the effects of the meds as I only had one so far, wondering how many of those are needed to restore normal vision.
Hi, I have just had 3rd injection for wet macular last Friday.I have always loved wearing makeup and was very scared about doing the wrong thing after injection, advice was to leave it for a few days so waited almost a week before applying eyeshadow and mascara(washed all brushes and new mascara) felt so much better! Maybe I am vain but this diagnosis has floored me and am not ready at 67 to give up something that makes me feel better. As for working out I don't know, my exercise is walking my dog or going out with friends who enjoy walking, live in a lovely town in Scotland and am so lucky to have beautiful scenery around me.Take care and all the best.
I am a high myope (-11D) with no CNV but I’ve been told constantly to avoid intense workouts. No one ever clarified for me what intense means though (my heart rate can go quite high up even after a ‘light’ running session). However, I noticed that my eyes feel best and very relaxed after cycling (take care with mountain bike though). I do feel a bit of pressure when running and swimming and I don’t find these activities as relaxing for the eyes as cycling. But I still run a lot and try to slow down when my heart rate reaches around 85% of max allowed heart rate for my age. I tried yoga but gave up because my eyes felt uncomfortable due to all those poses where my head was lower than my body. I also avoid lifting heavy weights (I use max 3kg in each hand when I weight train), jumping, any impact sports, scuba diving, high speed trains in amusement parks, bungee jumping. I think cycling/running/swimming are good enough (as well as badminton, paddling) and great sports to keep you fit!
Thank you so much for your advice Smurfy! Yep, looks like I am gonna need to get myself into running & cycling (luckily I love swimming) and say goodbye to my beloved barre - but I'll do anything for my eyes!
Have you tried Tai Chi? Not a work out exactly, but very relaxing and extremely good for balance. Also my consultant said yes to eye make up. Good Luck!
Another vote here for taichi - you can do it at various levels from very calm and slow (even sitting down) to quite a workout, but it is never as strenuous as a gym workout. It lowers your blood pressure, makes you breathe properly (an asset in the injection room!) and is wonderfully calming. Also as regards makeup - like others, I avoid wearing any for three or four days. The clinic also told me not to wash my hair or otherwise get tapwater in my eyes - you should however use 'tear' drops to keep the eye lubricated. I wash my hair the day before an injection and wash all my makeup brushes too, so everything is ready for normal life resuming after a couple of days or so. Hope everything works out well for you!
Thank you ElimviraKate! I will definitely give taichi a try! 🙂
My clinic advised to wait 5 days before getting water in eyes eg shower, swimming etc and same for makeup. I always open new mascara / shave off eye liner so new bit exposed after inj. and thoroughly clean other brushes. Eye infection is to be avoided at all costs ! If you struggle to see to apply makeup there are magnifying specs with only 1 lens which you flip across. Cant recall where I got mine but Google it.
Be kind to yourself on this new journey, sight probs are known to be akin to bereavement emotionally. Stay positive, enjoy life each day, try not to worry what you cant control. Everyone responds differently, but the inj do usually halt worsening even if some need to have them longer than others. For me I get a short term improvement ( have brvo with macular oedema).
It’s interesting how doctors have different approaches, mine said I could wash my face straight away (which I didn’t do as I was too scared to even lightly touch my eye).
I also have Myopic CNV both eyes , left eye since 2017 and right eye started in 2020.
I have had 25 injections into the left and 5 into the right.
Injections have worked well fir me as i also started with bad distortion and haemorrhage in left took about 5 weeks and that eye was almost normal vision although still getting fluid building up which requires regular injections - I get 3-4 best before I need injection . Right eye was only distortion and fluid injection worked within 3-4 weeks.
I live in Scotland and the hospital I attend are amazing even during COVID.
I wear contact lenses always have , after injection I’m told to leave out for a week so it’s back to glasses for me. This works well and I’ve never had infection or any bother. I do wear eye makeup and again same rule applies a week without.
Workout wise - I don’t go to gym but I’m a very active person , I have lots of horses at home, dogs so always out walking and work full time . after injection it’s eye protection over the glasses when mucking out stables to stop dust/ dirt getting anywhere near , I’m an engineer and have access to good quality PPE for my eyes so makes a difference .
Macular Society and this forum are great for help and information. Take care xx
Hi I avoided any eye make up for a couple of months after my CNV and initial injections. I’m up to injection 9 and am a lot more relaxed re make up - although I don’t wear eye make up the day of the injection.
Exercise wise - I stopped yoga because of inverted poses but started Pilates again once the bleed was stopped and healed. I’m also doing a weights program now (9 months later) - light weights with high reps. I hike and kayak but stopped distant running (because of jolting the body). My RS told me to keep a watch out for changes but to keep living life as I used to.
Thank you Ddboo! That’s great to hear re: Pilates. I miss exercising and the thought of not being able to do Pilates & Barre anymore is frustrating.
Did you resume working out only after your injection treatment was complete or did you do light exercises during treatment as well? I am only going for bricks walks these days as I am scared that if I start exercising more intensily now the bleeding might not go away. I have had my fist injection and so far I only saw tiny teeny improvements. How long did you have to wait for your vision to go back to normal?
I’m still having injections - at first they were monthly and now they are 6 weekly. I started moderated Pilates again last December (3 months after the CNV - it was a large bleed so I didn’t rush back to exercise). Re noticing eye improvements - everyone is different but once the blood was reabsorbed (about (4 injections) 3 months after the CNV) things looked brighter and I could read more lines on the chart. Then as the swelling went down pictures and faces were less distorted - this took another couple of months. I do have scarring but I’m getting used to it. I’m so grateful we have the injections. Give the eye time to heal and adjust.
Indeed, we are lucky there is treatment for CNV! Next time I will see my doctor I will ask him about the size of the bleeding, they didn’t share much info on that, he mentioned a possible 6 month treatment with Lucentis first and then Eyelea. I guess that all depends on how my eye reacts to the treatment. But yes, I am not in a rush to go back to exercising, waking will do for now 🙂
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