Eye Sight

[TimTooYoung]

I have a question, around about September 2014 I had an eye test for reading glasses, since then on a few occasions I have had difficulty focussing to use pc screan. My first awareness last week before being admitted to hospital for CCA treatment was blurred vision. In my last post I have detailed that and I'm recovering at home. My question is should I get my eyes tested for glasses again, does the GCA affect focus and reading ?

[Celtic PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Tim, I am someone who had PMR and GCA and found that my vision was blurred before diagnosis and my focus worsened with the steroids. When I mentioned to my rheumy that I was unable to focus on items on the supermarket shelves, for instance, my rheumy put this down to the steroids. I also found it difficult to read the computer screen with my usual reading glasses and the optician prescribed different glasses for this purpose. Perhaps different prescription glasses would help you?

[TimTooYoung in reply to Celtic]

Celtic that's useful, I think that confirms that I need an eye test when I recover a little from spell in hospital just to check things out. Thanks

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I can only say about varying focus from the pred side - PMR definitely did something to my focus and my optician had done glasses specifically for computer use, I am very short sighted, had used contact lenses but they became impossible too. After I started taking pred I realised my eyes varied from day to day and I simply adjusted the position of my glasses on my nose! Now, at a much lower dose of pred the computer glasses also function perfectly as reading glasses but the need to move them around has gone.

If you can manage in that way I would put off new expensive specs as long as you can, it may change again - but a cheap set for the computer screen might help.

[polkadotcom]

I've used glasses specifically made for computer use for years now. Pred does alter your vision, it certainly did mine and I found at one point I couldn't use varifocals but bifocals were ok.

It's only in the recent past that I have chosen anything other than the cheapest form! Hoping to get some really nice ones this summer.

[paddyfields]

I get blurred vision but have PD to account for it as well. However, I have had blood-shot eyes to a greater or less extent whilst on prednisone and it has improved in parallel to the dose has being reduced. All googles lead to statements that bloodshot eyes are nothing to worry about and not related to prednisone.

but I think there is a connection and in view of the above posts think it must be indirectly related to the blurring and eyestrain that I have which if you already wear glasses would be presumably a stronger effect. Not6 for the first time, the comment is that if no one ever takes any notice of what you report the received wisdom is that there are no reports of a particular symptom or side effect!!!

[Hidden]

I had GCA for 5 years (now in remission for 3 years).

I was immediately referred to an Optician when first diagnosed and my glasses were changed. One pair (to re-actolite rapide) and one pair for night driving. I also went to my optician every six months. I was not charged for the six monthly visits as the optician filled a form in which enabled me to have free tests every six months. Whether this system still operates or not I do not know. What I do know is that with GCA I would be seeing an optician every six months whether the tests were free or not. Sight is a top priority.

[Rjw2014]

I had blurred vision before GCA diagnosis, and had just had new glasses. On high dose (60mg) pred the blurriness changed, and I regretted having the new expensive varifocals, but now my dose has reduced to 20 and sight has begun to clear.

[piglette]

After spending a fortune on new glasses last year I bought a second pair on the internet. In fact they are now my favourite pair and are much cheaper. They do offer all sorts of added extras such as super thin lenses etc, which can add up, but if you go for the basics and not pretty coloured lenses etc. they really are cheap. I was able to get four frames sent to me for free to try on before choosing. You can then get another four if you did not like the first lot and so on. You must return the frames in seven days though.

[TimTooYoung in reply to piglette]

Well it is a problem for quite a few of you then, I didn,t start wearing glasses until I was 45 just for reading. My focal distance since GCA has changed, I bought over the counter £20 glasses nice and cheap and I can see, what a bonus. Keep in touch I,m learning so much, Thaks all

[piglette in reply to TimTooYoung]

I am not sure if they do the over the counter reading glasses, I got some for six pounds then discovered I did not need them, only for distance, so I gave them to a friend. The internet place I went to asked for you to have had an eye test in the last two years. They do bifocals, varifocals, tinted, reactolite, driving, computer and probably others. I think they start around twenty five pounds.

[TimTooYoung in reply to piglette]

That sounds good, I will get another eye test, it's worth it for eye sight, I'm just amazed at the response for a simple problem.

[piglette in reply to TimTooYoung]

Check first, as you may not be as impressed as I am of course. Also I phoned them up as I have an astigmatism and wanted to check and someone answered the phone immediately with none of that press 1 for .... rubbish. They were friendly, helpful and polite. Too good to be true really.