Visual changes with B12 deficiencies

[Sita505USA]

Hi there

I am having real visual blurring with spots before my eyes. I really think it is from B12 deficits. I have had three stomach surgeries and was on PPIs for years.

I just got a brain MRI which showed cortical atrophic findings. That can also call visual changes and I don’t want the doctors to move in that direction and discount all of my many B12 symptoms.

Does anyone have a good recent journal article on B12 and visual issues?

Thanks, Sita

[Gambit62 Administrator]

the mechanism may well be cortical atrophy but the question would then be what is causing the cortical atrophy which is where B12 would come in.

Unfortunately I don't think there is yet a clear understanding of exactly how B12 works in this respect - and studies have been mixed. There are certainly studies that show supplementing with B12 results in reduced levels of cortical atrophy, but I don't think there have been any that have established the exact mechanism though it is known that raised homocysteine levels (which would be one consequence of B12 and folate deficiencies) and raided MMA (one consequence of B12 deficiency) seem to be involved in cortical atrophy.

I did find this article

nytimes.com/2016/09/06/well...

but unfortunately the link to the 2016 study in Oslo no longer works.

There is this article from 2014 but it is about one occurrence in an infant

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

There have been a number of studies in relation to dementia in adults at Oxford but my understanding is that these haven't yet come up with a clear cut answer.

[KimberinUS]

I wish i knew the connection between b12 and visual issues. It and continued lack of energy (no where near the extreme fatigue i had previously) and motivation are my major remain issues.

The visual issues are so weird because some days my vision is fine, other days it is blurry, and yet other days it is blurry and double and causes dizziness.

It has caused me not to read a book in over a year which is sad because i used to read 1 to 6 books a month about 5 years ago.

I have black spots off and on for the past appox 4 years.

[hendry in reply to KimberinUS]

I also had blind spots in my central vision before I was diagnosed. I t would come on quite suddenly. Also zig zag lines for a few minutes then clear. After adequate b12 hydroxyl. injections then it went away totally. I inject at home on average once per week. Sometimes I can leave it longer but now 8 years down the line I think once every 7 days is the way forward for me.