Eyesight

[slowmotion]

I have just had an eyetest and stronger lenses are on order have any of you found this happening.

Before I was ill my eye sight was perfect now it gets blurred and sometimes double vision when I stand up any advice please.

[MrsSowester]

My understanding is that vision is one of the most demanding tasks the brain has to do, so its one of the first functions to suffer when blood supply is lower than ideal. This is why people see stars before they faint.

I have the same vision problems you have - esp. double vision in the morning. I wear glasses all the time now too.

I've had some funny incidences when I've pushed myself and my eyes have played tricks on me, depth of field changes and items I try to pick up appear to roll away! (my GP asked if I'd ever taken anything that might have a hallucinatory affect and laughed - I think he thought I was having acid flash backs!! I've never tried anything like that I hasten to add).

No idea how to improve any of these things though - apart from resting... (sooooo sick of flipping resting).

[Ian123]

I have regular eye tests that are quite uncomfortable because I am light sensitive. The blurred vision and depth of field could be Optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve) resting the eyes and keeping your optician aware of any symptoms such as a darkening of vision.

[MrsSowester in reply to Ian123]

Yes, I have many problems with the optic nerve especially in my right eye and a little in my left- wasn't sure whether to mention it (it was very frightening at first, kept expecting to wake up blind!!!) I didn't want to frighten anyone.

About 4 1/2 years ago I began to get really nasty sharp pains that shoot from the back of my eyeball to the front. Ibuprofen (not paracetamol) sorts this out so I assume it's due to inflammation. I do have it checked by my optician regularly and also had another MRI when it started.

Last summer I lost my colour vision for an hour or so - that was very scary.

When I'm very tired I loose a degree of peripheral vision on my right side.

I have quite a variety of odd visual effects I'm used to now.

I had to stop driving (and my job as an illustrator) reasoning if I miss the washing line pegging out the washing and can't judge the speed at which cars are travelling towards me enough to judge when to cross the road - then I'm not safe driving.

Like you, Ian, I'm light sensitive, I can't be in a room with unshaded light bulbs and florescent strip lights knock me out very quickly, the older the strip light the quicker I go weak at the knees.

I have very bad floaters (protein strings) that gives the effect of looking through drifting smoke or a cloud of mosquitos.

I started on Gabapentin last week, this has been changing my nerve pain and relieved my muscle spasms. My walking improved over night. I'm going up to the full dose today after 'starting low and going slow' as advised in Halflife's post re. pain management, advice for which I'm grateful.

[Ian123 in reply to MrsSowester]

The loss of peripheral vision, floaters, tinnitus and nausea are my final warnings that I have gone outside the energy envelope that a crash where I just collapse into a sleep that is almost comatose.

Sunglasses year around with a memory foam sleep mask whenever I try and sleep help ease the symptoms.

My weaker eye is the left and the eyelid can close without me realising, with obvious sight loss, only realized this was happening when the right eye could only see dark or light that one eye was doing most of the work, lifting the left eyelid manually restored colour vision which was a great relief.

The Gabapentin improving quality of life without side effects is very good news thank you for sharing.

[MrsSowester in reply to Ian123]

I have had one nasty side effect that lasted 36hours but gone now - a pulse of sharp nerve pain in my ear canal region every 5 minutes or so. It disturbed my sleep so I got it looked at by a GP to make sure there was no infection.

Really odd side effect though, I wouldn't have made the connection if ear infection and canal inflammation hadn't been on the info sheet. Ibuprofen kept it in check. I'm glad to say it's passed now and I'm glad I stuck with the Gabapentin.

I'm obviously feeling brighter - I'm posting and replying all over the place!

Your eye problems sound really nasty Ian, I do feel for you X

[Ian123 in reply to MrsSowester]

I think each of us faces different symptoms but speaking with those that know how it feels from experience, can make the most of the better days when they happen

[SophiaG]

I have used Prednisone many times for a health condition so I have cataracts making a description of my eyesight through lace curtains without the double vision anytime.

The reading glasses have been with me for many years now which is quite normal in the family again not so helpful in answering the question asked when with age my expecting poor eyesight was normal.

[Stormchaser]

My eyes get dry sore feeling gritty until the drops hep out. Focusing happens slow if what I was taking from a counter top moved I don't see it before hitting the floor slows the movement. Can't say my eyesight is getting worse or any better I do like half light when they're bloodshot.