Health anxiety over myopic eyes

[OverlyCurious]

Hello, I have posted before but in the eye care forum and it seems like I should just post here because this could be more of an anxiety issue than anything.

But basically I'm a moderate to high myope, I have -6.5 correction. My eyes are healthy except for a possible lattice spot in one eye (but from my history, it could also be a prominent part of my eye anatomy cause I was told it was in the same spot and even looked similar to a spot in my other eye, which turned out to be nothing but a prominent ora serrata). I called my doctor and im pretty much just waiting to hear back so i can ask some questions or just wait for my next appointment.

Anyways, because of all this, I have fallen into a deep hole of anxiety and depression I think. I literally only think about the chance of having an retinal detachment, glaucoma, other slightly rare things someone with myopia can get later in life. I was informed that even though I have heightened risk, my chances are still relatively low (like 1 in 5000 for a RD). but I cant seem to shake that I will for sure have problems later on in life and it just makes me sad.

I have thought about contacting a therapist or something because I feel like I cant enjoy anything when all I can think about is my vision and even when I do sort of feel better about it, the thoughts just come creeping back. Not googling things has helped a lot but not enough for me.

But I am posting here to kind of vent a bit or maybe even just some words of encouragement haha not really sure what to do at this point other than maintaining eye exams and seeking out help.

[Monica19815]

I was over -10 in both eyes!  I had successful cataract surgery 6 years ago and with IOL's had perfect vision...unail 2 years ago when it started to get blurry again.  You are right...vision issues can cause anxiety and it did with me.  Last year my eye doctor found a small macula hole in my right eye and surgery was scheduled.  I went on anxiety meds to help my anxiety over all of it.  Surgery was easy, recover was hard. It was a "monster surgery."  But when all was said and done and I was recovered, I saw it was a successful surgery and recovery was hard but it went quickly...and I want my other eye operated on ASAP for my many floaters and scar tissue that affects my vision.  None of it was as bad as my anxiety told me it would be.  However, I am still on anxiety medication and plan to stay on it through my surgery and recovery and some other things life has thrown on me.   For me, I just need the mess and they help.  People do not realize how hard it is to have bad eyesight.  I wish you all the best but know that eye surgery is not as scary as it sounds if you ever need to have it!

[Paxiled]

Everyone who is born will run into serious trouble at some point in life.  How we respond to it is quite different -- being anxious about health makes you suffer twice, once with the problem and again with the anxiety.  People have very different levels of anxiety about health problems, in other words, and humans wouldn't still be around if they got paralyzed with anxiety every time life got hard.  So while I know nothing at all about your health problem, I do know about anxiety, and it won't help you any to worry yourself sick.  And know that most people don't, they do what they have to do and deal as best as they can.  So I think the therapist might be a good idea.  But don't expect to have no worry, everyone worries about health problems, and it doesn't help that it often takes a long time for docs to take action and often that action can be hard to get in a way that actually works.  So there's worry and then there's anxiety that starts to get in the way of all the other things going on in your life.  So yeah, won't hurt to work on the anxiety part of it.  

[MoragMay]

I am also having terrible anxiety  due to an eye problem,  I know that I am over thinking the problem, but it is consuming my life and it is all that I think about.  I am am also dealing with Menopause , which is making the anxiety worse.  I feel your pain.