Cataracts.

[Sopretty]

I have ET, diagnosed 3years ago , on Hydrea and Aspirin. I have ocular pain and cataracts now diagnosed . Wondering if this is common in ET? Having cataract surgery end of this month.

[hunter5582]

The cataracts are not ET related. I have them too. Will likely do the surgery at some point. before too long. The ocular pain could be ET related. Possible a microvascular issue. You ophthalmologist might know something about this, but many docs do not know much about MPNs. That would be a very good question to review with a MPN Specialist (not a regular hematologist).

Hope the surgery goes well. It is actually one of the few I am actually looking forward to doing.

[Sopretty in reply to hunter5582]

Thank you so much for your reply, so reassuring.

[nightshadow]

Cataracts are pretty common if you live long enough. If you've had a lot of steroid treatments in the past, that can trigger cataract development at a younger age.

[Sopretty in reply to nightshadow]

Hi, I've never been on steroids, must be my age. Since I was diagnosed with ET three years ago I always think that ET is the cause of any symptoms I have. I am generally fairly well, I take Hydroxicarbimide and aspirin and see my haematologist every three months. No access to a support system re ET. Delighted with this forum only sorry that I didn't use it sooner.

[MoNut]

I had cataracts done in my right eye, they transplanted a new lens. I am having the left eye done in two weeks. No problems and I don’t think my ET/MPN was in any way the the reason. Best wishes.

[Sopretty in reply to MoNut]

Thank you so much. Getting first eye done in three weeks. Good luck with your left eye.

[Wyebird]

Hi have cataracts not ready for an op yet. As for the pain I can’t help. Have you told your consultant yet?

[Sopretty in reply to Wyebird]

Hi, will see my haematologist in nine days, first time since the beginning of Covid that its not a phone consultation. I did tell him before about ocular pain but he said that it was probably sinusitis, poor man is so busy. I knew it wasn't as I had sinusitis before and it was a different pain

[Wyebird in reply to Sopretty]

Oh no, that’s the problem with MPNs. We never know what is related and what isn’t.

[hunter5582]

I am glad that you will be persistent and not just let it be fobbed off as sinusitis. What you are experiencing needs to be followed up by both a MPN Specialist and an ophthalmologist. This is not to say that it is a MPN-related issue with your eyes, just that it needs to be considered and properly diagnosed. Unfortunately, some docs just are not familiar with all of the ways that MPNs can present. Hope you have docs with this knowledge base.

Here are a couple of references that you may find of interest.

mympnteam.com/resources/vis...

mdpi.com/2072-6694/12/3/573...

Hope you get answers soon.

[Sopretty in reply to hunter5582]

Thank you so much for the links. I am going to send them on to my ophthalmologist who wll operate on my cataracts, the first one at the end of this month. You are so knowledgeable.

[hunter5582 in reply to Sopretty]

Good luck with the surgery. Do let us know how it goes. The cataract surgery is in my future too.

All the best.