Hashimotos and vision disturbance

[lisabax]

I've written about this before, but after major surgery for cancer last year I woke up after the 9 hour operation with blurred vision and seeing double (they call it shadowing). I had also developed dry eye. It was very distressing as it wasn't an expected after effect of the surgery! I see that all of these things are listed as hypo symptoms. The question is whether anything can be done about them? I am as optimally medicated as I can be with good thyroid test results. I think the change may have been the result of physical and emotional trauma associated with the surgery. But I can't find anyone who has the understanding and knowledge to be able talk to. My local eye hospital have kindly offered to remove my cataracts to see if that will improve the situation, but the cataracts are early and not bad. I don't know if there is an endocrinologist in the South West of South of England who knows enough about this to be able to help? I need to make the decision about the cataract operation and am not sure which way to go. Thank you.

[DeeD123]

Can you google TED. Sorry I’m not good at posting links. Thyroid eye disease isn’t just confined to greaves. 20% of hashies sufferers get it as well. I sincerely hope you don’t have it but getting in touch with the charity will give you a lot of info. Good luck. Xx

[lisabax in reply to DeeD123]

Thank you so much for your reply. I will do that. Xx

[Jackiez in reply to DeeD123]

True, I'm hypothyroid but not Hashimoto's, and my optician was concerned enough to refer me to an ophthalmologist, who confirmed TED.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

lisabax,

Expected issues are bad enough.

Are you seeing double in each eye? That is, cover one eye with something (or hold a piece of paper in front of it) - do you see double? Or only when both eyes are open?

I have had brief periods of monocular diplopia and am convinced that for me they were due to thyroid hormone levels. But never really got to the bottom despite ophthalmological investigation. Luckily for me I seem over it.

Has anyone checked your B12 since your operation? In case they used nitrous oxide as anaesthetic - which can effectively wipe out your B12.

[lisabax in reply to helvella]

Hi,, thank you, yes it was bad in enough without the eye problem! Yes, in both eyes. I see an image below the main image, but it's not as dark. Also my vision is blurred. The combination is very distressing. The ophthalmologists have said that is not seeing double, they call it shadowing, but I don't understand the difference. I think I've had brief periods of blurred vision after surgery before, but it has always rectified itself. This time it hasn't. My B12 is good in the 500's, and I supplemented around the time of the operation. Just trying to weigh up whether it would be worth having the cataract done - another operation, albeit local anaesthetic.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to lisabax]

lisabax,

My first double-vision occurred when I was outside and looked up at the sky. There were lots of birds flying, wheeling, swooping. Then I realised that there weren't actually as many in reality as I could see!

My version is a bit like the orange text in this link:

sugarcreekeye.com/content/v...

Up and to the left. I covered one eye - and still saw the second image.

Monocular double vision in one eye often appears as a ghosting or shadow that overlaps with the primary image.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/...

[lisabax in reply to helvella]

Thank you very much for this Helvella. These articles really put things into perspective and have been very helpful. Certainly it will help in making the decision about the cataract operation, clarifies the fact the dry eye developed after surgery and that caused the visual problems. So this is much appreciated. LB

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to lisabax]

lisabax,

I'll also add that I no longer get any double vision.

My eyesight is better than before diagnosis - even though I have aged several years! And no eye treatment (other than for a while for dry eyes) - just levothyroxine.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to helvella]

Oh yes. Forgot to add.

I took my 80-something year old mother for a cataract operation - she was, understandably, nervous. She came out somewhat relieved, a couple of weeks later she was fine. For her second operation, she was perfectly happy to jump in a taxi.

The operations made a huge difference to her - though she also suffered macular degeneration and they were concerned it might not have been worth doing.

[lisabax in reply to helvella]

Thank you again. It's all very reassuring. I think too much time has passed since it started to get any relief now without some sort of intervention. Ideally it should have been picked up after the big op and I should have started on eye drops sooner, but water under the bridge. I shall go for the cataract op - it's really helped me make the decision. LB