Subjective comparison of night vision

[ffran]

Well after reading with interest the posts on eye problems and underactive thyroid, I was interested in the notion that it might be the thyroxine that caused eye problems like finding it hard to see in the dark. I was on thyroxine for many years and it was getting very hard to see in the dark.

Now I take natural thyroid hormone at great expense I might add, and Lo and behold ! Mu night vision has improved , i swear I can see better in the dark now!!!!!

I cant believe the link between thyroxine and vision isnt taken seriously. At least every time I suggested this to health people they have dismissed this, including eye specialists in the eye hospital..

Hmm so check it out yourself if you have this problem. Also I can now have a drink of alcohol without feeling as if. I have been horribly poisoned for the next three days....

What other big benefits will arise I wonder !!!

I

[PinkNinja]

That's great news that you are feeling better.

Hypothyroid patients aren't able to convert carotenes (found in many vegetables) into retinol (vitamin A) unless they are properly treated. Retinol, I believe, is required for good night vision. Although carrots don't make you see in the dark, without vitamin A your night vision won't be as good as it should be. Perhaps this is what is happening for your, at least partly.

It is amazing just how many systems a dysfunctional thyroid affects, often indirectly.

Glad you are already feeling the benefits of your NDT

Carolyn x

[helvella in reply to PinkNinja]

Which was why the story about Cats Eyes Cunningham was dreamt up:

telegraph.co.uk/history/bri...

Rod

[PinkNinja in reply to helvella]

I remember that. My mum's aunt was a clerk for Robert Watson Watt and spent many a day on a windy airfield making notes for him. She also made leathers for Amy Johnson and then went on to wind coils for the first computers due to her skills as a tailor. She was partially blind when I knew her and riddled with arthritis but never complained and was always organising the 'old-peoples' parties, even in her 80s. Whenever I see stories like this I remember her. She was my rather unlikely hero when I was growing up

[t3rr in reply to helvella]

I found this very interesting, suffered for many years from poor night vision, and am hypothyroid , would you suggest taking a vitamin A supplement might help?

[ffran in reply to t3rr]

I really dont know, I just know that on Armour thyroid, natural thyroid, I know I can see better in the dark than I have done for a long time while on Thyroxine. Before Thyroxine my night vision was fine by the way but that was a long time ago

[helvella in reply to t3rr]

The problem with vitamin A is that it is very important to get the right sort, at the right dose. An excess of pre-formed vitamin A potentially has some serious effects. (That is , actual vitamin A - whereas beta-carotene needs to be processed in the body to be converted into vitamin A.)

It is something I have tended to keep well away from simply because I feel profoundly ignorant of appropriate treatment.

Rod

[Middleagemadness in reply to PinkNinja]

How interesting. I always thought my increasing dislike of driving at night was due to being post menopausal. Looks like there may be another reason. I have recently started NDT so maybe things will improve.

[roslin]

OMG,reading this, I have just realised that the horrible almost like blind spots I have had in the dark for so many years, have gone. I never linked this to thyroid or told anybody about it. I think I thought it was age related.

Thank you for pointing it out

I will also try to drink alcohol a bit more often!!!

Roslin

[Hidden]

not sure about this post. I have excellent night vision but I always put that down to living very rural with no street lights and no light pollution. As for the alcohol, because I'm only half English, my body doesn't crave alcohol, or require frequent binges in order to function. I can't remember the last time I had alcohol, it's not part of my life frankly, unless you can count 'Mon Cherie' liquor chocs which I get myself every Yuletide.I have enough trouble being poisoned and doped and put into an alter existence by the medicines my doctor give me (even without checking my notes). I HATE feeling 'not all there' and slightly out of control, so I avoid alcohol wherever possible because this is how it makes me feel.

[ffran in reply to Hidden]

Hi I dont think my nationality has given me a genetic predisposition to consume large quantities of alcohol. I havent drunk alcohol for years except for minute sips at dinners out etc. Even smallest sips would leave me very ill , and this gradually came about over several years as pre thyroid I had a normal reaction to alcohol. Now on NDT i notices a small sip left me feeling ok... Tried another time ...ok a full half a beer ...ok!!

Wow!! I noticed my reaction to alcohol is getting to be normal again. Doesnt mean I am out each nigh in the off licence...!

[Mary52]

very intersting, thank you for posting about your night vision and levothyroid. It is another thing for us to wonder about, I have also had a growing dislike of driving in the dark for as many years as i have been on thyroxine, (20+) and could never understand why, as i normally love driving. GPs have always put it down to age and changes!.

[Moggie]

My night vision improved no end when I was on T3 - unfortunately I no longer take T3, just T4, and I'm back to booking hosp appt in the mornings only and telling people I cant go here or there as "I don't do night time driving" and yes I had already made a connection but seeing as everything had improved when I was on T3 I didn't associate it with Levo.

Moggie x

[helvella in reply to Moggie]

Though I have only ever taken levothyroxine and have had significant improvement in vision. So I am not sure if we should be apportioning blame onto levothyroxine itself? Perhaps the simple fact of not having enough of the right thyroid hormone, in the right place, at the right time is the issue.

Rod

[ffran]

Yes good to hear people seeing like me 'scuse the pun! Well who knows what causes the improvement, T3 , something in NDT or if it's levothyroxine that makes it worse...i wish someone in medical science would investigate this. Plea to researchers!! Eyesight is such an important function and when it worsens, quality of life get significantly worse too!!

[veronicahoward]

Where do you, obtain your natural thyroid hormone? Glad you have solved a problem your doctor could not solve.