OCT scan at opticians and brain clot

[Rache]

Recently someone complained about being charged £10 for an OCT scan at a well known opticians. It was certainly worth the money for me. The optometrist noticed changes from my previous annual scan, some swelling of the nerves and a slight bleed. She advised me to go to A&E to have it checked out. After some tests including a CT scan with dye, they found I have central venous thrombosis. I am in hospital being monitored further and having blood thinning injections. Apart from an unremarkable sinus type headache around my left eye, I was unaware there was anything wrong. I could have had a stroke, lost my sight or worse! I am very grateful to the optometrist who was very knowledgeable and diligent.

The causes are uncertain, it can be a history of clotting or use of the contraceptive pill. When I looked it up, there was also some mention of vasculitis so I was wondering if it could be linked to PMR or to taking prednisilone?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Well done your optometrist, and all my best wishes for the future…🌸

[Rache in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you DL

[herdysheep in reply to DorsetLady]

Hear hear

[SheffieldJane]

wow Rache thank goodness for that. I hope you continue to do well. I wonder if it is Giant Cell Arteritis linked? This is why I go every 6 months. It costs me £60.00

[Kendrew in reply to SheffieldJane]

Me too. Regular 6mthly checks too.

[Hidden in reply to SheffieldJane]

I go yearly and have the full scan that cost me £70....weird how they all charge different prices. Not sure the £10 one covers everything though. But for that to be picked up was brilliant.

[piglette]

That is money well spent. People often do not realise how lucky we are to get so much offered us.

[Rache]

I have asked that but the consensus is that it’s not related to GCA. Thanks for your good wishes Jane. I have an annual free check, just paid for the OCT scan. May go twice a year from now on, that’s if I survive this!

[SheffieldJane in reply to Rache]

please let us know how this goes for you. 🌺

[Rache in reply to SheffieldJane]

I will thanks Jane

[Josie-Anne in reply to Rache]

Hi Rache,

I get a free check up but also get a free OCT scan to because I can’t work, is it worth inquiring too? Just a thought 💭

[PMRpro Ambassador]

The eyes are a window on your health - the optometrist can spot signs of a lot of things!

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

My hubbys diabetes was picked up after an eye check up. So important to get check regualarly. And now he has Macular Degeneration too. However, no eye in jections for months and months, so seems all is stable at the moment. One good thing going for the poor man !! Can't wait for the 27th when he goes in for his first hip op. Looking forward to a break to recharge before all systems go again once he's home.

[Rache in reply to Hidden]

Glad your husband’s problems have stabilised. Not long now until the 27th! I can understand how much you’d appreciate the break. Sending you all good wishes 🌷

[Hidden in reply to Rache]

Thank you so much. Feeling a little down in the dumps today. Get that from time to time, physically and mentally. Been taking 6mg for a month now having flared on 5mg. So tomorrow I'll start 5.5mg again and try again in a months time at 5mg. Was hoping to be on 4mg this month when I see my rheumy on 19th, sadly, not the case.

Anne

[Rache in reply to Hidden]

Don’t be too hard on yourself. You have a lot on your plate. No wonder you have low periods. I am on 5mg although I had got down to 3mg this time last year. A bit disappointing but I’m not trying to reduce while I’m in hospital.

[Hidden in reply to Rache]

Thanks again, Hope you're out of hospitl soon X

[ChrisinNam in reply to Hidden]

Ditto!!

[Rache]

I’d heard they were the windows to the soul but now I know this too!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Rache]

Diabetes, even brain tumours can make their mark amongst other things.

[123-go]

What a good thing you went for the scan! May have been me recommending but whoever it was we know for sure from your experience that it's money well spent. Best wishes for the future 💐.

[Rache]

Thanks 🌷

[Sophiestree]

wow! Did you go just for a regular checkup? Or because you thought something wasn't right? You must be relieved either way that they have found all this in time. So scary.

I hope everything goes really well for you, I go every six months and never know what checks I'm having so will ask next time if it's an OCT. I just pay and say thanks see you in 6 months.

[Rache in reply to Sophiestree]

it was a regular check up although I made the appointment a bit earlier as I’d had a particularly large long floater. Not every optician has an OCT scanner which looks at the back of the eye. Maybe worth asking.

[Sophiestree in reply to Rache]

amazing... floaters are my biggest issue, bang in the centre, my optician says there is nothing I can do. There is some procedure but he didn’t advise it. Sometimes life is just one big blur. I will certainly ask him when i go next time.

[Rache in reply to Sophiestree]

Yes I think it’s quite an invasive procedure. You have to hope they’ll lessen with time I suppose

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Sophiestree]

I've had one in the middle of my left field of vision for about 20 years, since about the start of PMR. I noticed early on that it improved with higher doses of pred but returned to looking like a greasy finger print on my specs at lower doses. Gone altogether I realise after 3 years of 15+mg pred!

[Rache in reply to PMRpro]

That’s another advantage of pred

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Rache]

Might return now it's going down!

[Sophiestree in reply to PMRpro]

Funny, I thought it was the pred that brought them on. They are a pain as bang in the centre. At first the optician said they tend to go after six months which I thought was tolerable, 18 months later..... urgh

add those to the cataracts apparently I now have it's a nightmare.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Sophiestree]

Maybe but I definitely had mine long before pred. Mine is at least only in the left eye. Cataracts coming I'm told ...

[Whitner in reply to Sophiestree]

Yes I had mine way before going on prednisone but I don't think mine have gone away, I've just gotten used to them. The only time they really bother me is when I see a little dark spot in my peripheral vision and think I've got a gnat flying around my head

[Koalajane]

it makes me realise how lucky I am to have an OCT scan every 2 months for my macular oedema. I hadn’t realised it can show so much

[Rache in reply to Koalajane]

I hoped it would alert others

[powerwalk]

oh my eye check is due and i intend getting that scan too, i got it the last time. Best of luck with it all, let us know how things go. Worrying for you til its sorted.

[S4ndy]

Well done that optometrist! It was my optometrist that sent me off to a specialist clinic and saved my sight. It wasnt the same as yours but all the same if I hadnt been seen I could have lost sight in my right eye! I think £10 is very little to pay for that!

[Josie-Anne]

hi Rache,

Glad you got checked out and that your ok, I have told my doctor that I had a smalll bleed behind my right eye when I got my eyes checked last year with the opticians but was told by them that it would go away on its own accord. I get headaches like my head is going to explode and get blurred vision, when I take an aspirin it helps me sometimes as it’s a blood thinner but I all I got told was that I could be toxins that my liver can’t deal with so they go to the brain.

Did you get any type of headaches or blurred vision if you don’t mind me asking 😊

[Rache in reply to Josie-Anne]

No blurred vision and just a slight sinus type headache over my left eye. It’s the type of headache I’ve had for years on and off so it may not be connected at all

[Josie-Anne in reply to Rache]

ok thank you I get sinus trouble all the time because I fell and have got a crack and a fracture in the sinus wall and keep getting sinus infections 🙄

[Rache]

Agree!

[Tiggy70]

So sorry to hear about your eye problems but thankfully you are being looked after. At my last eye check up I was offered an OCT scan. It was described to me as an MRI scan on your eyes. I think it was £10 well spent. Our sight is so precious. Hope all goes well for you, 🌸Tiggy70.

[5lupins]

hi Rache, sorry to hear you are in hospital.

I will never forget the kindness you and others showed me

When I was unwed.

Sending you a big hug and all my love. Jen 🌸

[Rache in reply to 5lupins]

Thanks Jen, that’s very kind, hope you are doing ok x

[bussell]

Do hope everything is progressing well and under control. Top marks for the OCT screening. By coincidence on the day you posted your experience I received a reminder from my optician about my annual checkup, and included was a leaflet offering me OCT. I'd never heard of it. Will definitely opt to have this done! Thank you for telling us about it!

[Rache]

Pleased that it has been useful!

[Greytree]

Thanks so much for your post and the comments. I had gotten a notice from eye doc about needing a visit. Will do ASAP now.