Chiari & Visual Field Test

[AlishaNiven]

Hi All,

So I've just done a visual field test with an opthamalogist, the results where not good to say the least. For those of you familiar with the test the results in the "circle" are all supposed to be white except for the blind spot. Mine where a mixture of grey & black.

I was just wondering if any of you have done this test & what your results where like?

I go back Friday morning to do the test as the doc was concerned it was not accurate because the results where quite confusing!

As many of you have described, you vision is perfect and there is actually nothing wrong with your eyes but more the visual disturbances that are worrying. I've been struggling very much over the past few weeks with my vision hence my NS sent me for the tests.

[AZHR]

Thought I would throw in my 2 cents worth.....it was vision problems that were the most disturbing to me b4 surgery 9 months ago.  I had severe double vision, very light sensitive, found reading near impossible, etc, etc.  the constant double vision improved greatly immediately after surgery.  Occasional double & daily blurry vision has continued but is still improving.  I do show visual field losses, I cannot move my eyes rapidly side to side or up & down, but I can live with this.  I saw a Neuro Opthal - what a joke that was, & he sent me to a Retinal Spec.  The area where I have loss is often where Normal Pressure Glaucoma loss is seen, but I do not have Glaucoma.  I have new glasses finally & I can see much better.  (They wanted to wait 6 months post-op b4 finalizing the Rx for them.)1
I was getting worse day by day b4 surgery in many areas.  If anyone is "waiting for it to get worse b4 having surgery" remember this surgery is not a cure.  It is a stop gap measure & sometimes what you have lost does not come back because the damage to the nerve pathways is already done.  Nerves do regenerate or heal but they don't do it well.  Sometimes they even get crossed up with other nerves.  Find a NS you trust & who is very experienced in CM.  And, importantly, the MRI does not always reveal what is really there.  It didn't in my case.  

[Munchies2012]

So fast for your surgery date. Goodluck though! Hopefully it will fix all your problems :)

[AlishaNiven]

Hi everyone - so sorry for the delayed response here - have been having a rough few weeks with symptoms and flu :(

Anyway, to the point: we re-did the test, the results improved but the pattern of visual loss was still the same as the first test. The specialist has attributed my visual disturbances/issues to increased pressure in the head. He had also said that it seems to him like my symptoms cycle and when they do my vision gets better or worse. So in summary, increased pressure in the head affects your vision especially when doing anything strenuous. The reason I actually went to see the specialist was because I was doing physio and a lot of stretching which seemed to bring on a very bad episode that has lasted about 6 weeks.

The specialist also seemed to be concerned about nerve damage with increased pressure in the head so he agreed that surgery is the best option.

My surgery will be in September, the 22nd, which is around the the corner - very nervous lots of emotions!!

I hope that this info has helped or will help some of you here, I know I struggled to find info on visual issues so I was very happy to finally get some answers even though not such fab news!

[AnnieDear]

Curious how your re-test went. I had the dome test a couple months after PFD. Great vision, bad visual field results. She said the vision is fine but the pathways are messed up. I think? It's been 2 years, so I would have to look back at the report to see. My memory is not what it used to be :D hmm, I wonder why... Ha!

Best wishes,
Annie

[selmaS]

  i was made ti understand there is a difference,...will look into how and let you know....

My Drs tried to tell me my vision issues were age related...thank you...not....so I have been hanging in limbo on my issues....I also was in limbo about medical insurance for  while too...glad I finally got that straightened out, but now I have to find all new Drs and not having luck find some that are Chiari and related conditions aware....so still searching b4 I go to any of them.

[YankeesGirlSG]

I have had that same vision test as I was recently dx with CM, I was told I have bad peripheral and depth perception in my right eye with some spottiness. I now wear one contact which seems to correct it. I just saw my neuro today and he recommended a follow up with a retinal specialist next month to just do a check up since he doesn't have the big fancy eye machines as he put it ;).

[Munchies2012]

Forgot to say goodluck with ur test today I hope it has better results :)

[Munchies2012]

I do not want the surgery. I will get it one day if it all gets too much. But at the minute I find my symptoms pretty manageable and I hope they stay that way for the rest of my life.
If I get to the point I cant work or do daily tasks then yea I possibly would get surgery.. alot of people / forums I see advise often that if it effects daily life then surgery is usually recommended and alot of people take the wait and see approach. And ive had it since birth which is almost 26 years ago and only found out about it 2 years ago while undergoing tests for headaches/ vision issues. Kinda hope I can go another 26 years with out needing the surgery lol!

As for my vision getting worse hmmm it has its good days and bad days more bad than good but I wouldnt say it has gotten worse permentantly if that makes sense

[AlishaNiven]

I'm so sorry to hear that, I know exactly how you feel. It gets very difficult constantly finding ways to cope. Has it been getting worse? May I ask why you have not had the surgery?

I am re-doing my test today & will keep you posted, maybe what I learn can be of a bit of help to you!

[Munchies2012]

No I havnt had surgery. And my vision gives me great stress and anxiety when I notice how bad it is. Find it hard to find a distraction as everythig requires sight

[AlishaNiven]

@Munchies2012, have you had decompression surgery? I hope you are managing with your vision either way, I know how bad it can get!

@jcrun - thank you for your reply! Did the Drs ever get to the bottom of visual field distrubances or was it just attributed to the Chiari? Glad to hear you have made a good recovery after surgery!

[jcrun]

Yes, I have the test done every year. Pre PFD it was not good and I had some areas of deficit. Was not real bad but not normal.

After my PFD the test was normal and my last test a few weeks ago was still normal. But yes, IME I did show problems with visual field prior to surgery.

[Munchies2012]

I never got an actual reply on why my vision is the way it is.. just some kind of nystagmus causing the double vision. Apparently when I look far left or right my eyes wiggle. Seen both normal optho and neuro optho all say same.

One said I have alot of debris in eyes which could contribute to lots of floaters..

[AlishaNiven]

Thank you all for your replies! Yes it was the test in the dome with the clicker. @Selma, he is an opthamlmic surgeon - I wasn't aware there was a difference!

What he is worried about is raised pressure damaging my Nerves, there isn't any swelling of my optical nerve. But I constantly have floaters, ghost images - I feel like I'm looking in the sun all the time. I've also recently been getting black spots - this started after I tried Physio and has not got better since my NS & I decided to stop.

What did your doctors say about your vision problems?

[shelly0513]

I have strabismus and just found out my nystagmus might've caused by the chiari malformation. I can't remember if I had that particular test, but none of my vision test results came out normal. I just learn how to adapt.

[Munchies2012]

If this is the test in the dome thing and u click the button every time u see a little light yea ive done this a few times each time was perfect.

My vision itself isnt perfect though. I have vertical double vision ( constantly ) have tried prisms they just made it worse and I have visual snow ( not diagnosed ) my vision is just always sparkly...

[selmaS]

  Hi...sorry I have not had this testing,...I most likely should but the last time I went I was told there was nothing wrong with my vision....but I can not see without glasses so, I purchase the ones from a drug store and adapt the magnification as I need to.....

  Please keep us posted on what you find out....may I ask, is this a Neuro Optho?