Eyesight failings...is it D?

[gothiclovemonkey]

Recently my eyesight has been terrible. More terrible than ever before.
I have had glasses since kindergarten, estigmatism. Other than that, nothing major with the eyes.
Last eye pointment I had the dr informed me i was one letter away from being declared legally blind and losing my liscense.....And I totally guessed that last letter, btw. lol
They tried to make my prescription stronger but it caused my eyes to cross and i couldnt see. But I cant hardly see with the prescription we ended up with. there is no happy medium there. i was sent to some specialists a few years ago to see if it was something IN my eye, it wasnt. I have very very poor pariphreal vision, and im constantly cleaning my glasses thinking they are dirty, but they arent.

Anywho, it seems it is getting worse, and i do not want to go back to the eye doctor, if at all possible. My question, one of them, is it dialysis related??
Has anyone else on D had this issue? anyone not on D that u know of? lol

[Chris]

First, did you see an opthalmologist or optomitrist?
Second, they should have taken your lenses back and adjust prescription at no charge or at low cost.
Third, you may want to try a low vision specialist about your eyesight.
Fourth, I do not know if D is involved, but don't you have lupus also?

[RichardMEL]

hmmm... my best answer is "maybe" - it all depends and like Chris suggested think you need to see an opthalmologist (actual eye doc) rather than the optometrist (glasses dude).

All I can relate is from my own experience losing my left eye, which was *POST* tx, ut while they basically can't explain why my optic nerve shat itself the nearest culprit they blame is dialysis related arterial disease in my eye that screwed up the blood flow to the optic nerve which killed it in an incident of swelling of the optic nerve - which of course is usually treated with preds and cyclosporin - both of which I was already *ON* for my tx... so yeah.. I am the freak of the eye docs at my hospital and every time I went in they showed off my crappy/weird situation to anyone they could round up. In the end they just said "sorry" and told me I have 25% chance of same thing happening in my other eye, which is not fun.. but since they don't know wtf caused it in the first place, I reckon it's all guestimating on their part.

So *maybe* D related but maybe not. I think it really depends what the exact cause is of what's happening to you and what is going on in your eye - ie it may be nothing at all to do with your optic nerve and you may be suffering from some other unrelated condition that could be treated. for example the very first doc I saw kept asking me if my cat had been mean to me.. and was obsessed with "Cat Scratch Fever" which believe it or not is true, and does exist, and can cause similar things to happen - but is also treatable.

I told him my kitty was a sweetie and never scratched me in my life... a few weeks later tests came back and said I did not have CSF.

so all I'm saying is .. you never know. Def get checked out!

[Chris]

You may need to see a retinal specialist if there isn't one in the opthalmologist office. From my experience, this is usually 2 different offices. Retinal Specialist will usually take pictures of the back of your eye also. Ask your transplant center if they can refer you to someone. I forgot if your center is U of I tho or s t Indiana.

[gothiclovemonkey]

I dont have lupus, but my mother did...

I have seen a few doctors about the eye. I went to the glass kind, they refered me to an actual eye dr, who then refered me to an eye specialist who did all kinds of odd eyeball tests, and found nothing, so He then sent me up north to an even bigger specialist who ran basically the same exact damn tests id already had 2 other times at that point. So I go home and wait a while, to get called by one of them, saying they need to do the tests again, but they were the same exact tests, done a total of 3 times, so whhyy would i want to travel 2 and ahalf hours to do this?  (the periphreal vision test, u stick ur head in a bubble and push a button when u see the dot?) why cant u all 4 consult with each other??
I never went back, I figuered if all of them say they see no cause, then why waste my time? ive dealt with having this vision issue for... well since ive had my son, which is when i started showing symptoms of kidney failure as well.
Its getting to a point though, menus, or anything in List form becomes very difficult to read. Usually to "see" something I do alot of guessing. if everything looks the same I can guess what it is!
Maybe it isnt vision and its brain or something haha wouldnt surprise me. im also having trouble hearing...

[Chris]

Did anyone look at your retina and optic nerve tho and take pictures? So far it does not sound like you saw a retinal specialist.


From what you have said though, I would suggest a led lighted magnifyer ( power of lens to get can only be determined by trying out), a portable pocket video magnifyer, specialty glasses for driving approved by the state ( they have small telescopes you look thru that magnify street signs), computer software to help read thru various abilities of the program, a CCTV (video magnifyer) and other things. However for the state to assist you in getting adaptive equipment, you need a proper diagnosis from an opthalmologist, reports from retinal doctor, or see a low vision specialist that you maintain follow up visits with.


Sounds like you got the run around tho and wasn't referred to theright people. If you come up for the Chicago meet, I can show you a couple things and try to see if that helps. I could look up a low vision specialist in downstate area.


Also IL DHS Blind Service Dept does loan out equipment to try for a month or 90 days thru request online.

[bansix]

i used to have to take a lot of bp pills cause my bp was out of control, i noticed when i started all those pills i was getting very dry, especially my eyes. when my bp was under control they reduced my bp pill dosage and eventually regained hydration. iwas having a really hard time seeing when it was dry

[gothiclovemonkey]

wow i didnt know that chris! there is lots of stuff for people nowdays!

Im not sure who i say, they  did many tests, one of them they injected me with yellow stuff, turned me yellow! poked me in the eye with a stick, um... did some weird thing... idk it was a few years ago i dont remember it all

my eyes get dry sometimes, lots of "eye boogers" but more oft than not they are tteary.

[Chris]

OK, you had pictures taken of the retina, the carrot derived dye allows them to see the veins to see if there are issues, the stick was either a pH test or eye pressure check.


I'll look to see if I have information regarding what you just mentioned in my eye book and pamphlets in a few days when I feel better. Dry eye is also not good to have.




Forgot what else I was gonna suggest

[gothiclovemonkey]

Thank you
I hope u feel better, get general icky ness or something else?

[RichardMEL]

Yeah, I was sent to the top neuropthalmologist - then to another one at the specialist eye & ear hospital here - they did the whole pic thing - or tried - the problem is, well one of the many I have lol, is that my astmatism is SO bad that they just can't get a good enough look in to see anything much... like they could see enough to know the optic nerve was swolen (and then back to normal) but as for the rest in the back, VERY difficult so short of killing me off and opening up the eye to look they said well... yeah.. problem child mr freakshow...

*sigh*

[Chris]

Thank you
I hope u feel better, get general icky ness or something else?

Started in sore throat, chest with an odd feeling I never had, tiredness, dry cough, and crappy feeling, then moved up into my head where I now have a runny nose on one side at times, itchy cough that becomes hoarse. So been sleeping most of the time.
 
I can list 3 websites that offer low vision products, which could be beneficial if you get involved with the state for help.