Ohpthalmologist visit

[*Stormy*]

Hello Everyone!!

Well I finally had my long awaited Optha vist today...to find out why I am still having many vision issues post op. Thankfully, he was a really nice guy unlike the one I had a year ago!!

Turns out that the inside of my eye is still healthy..no signs of damage..which is great but still REALLY confusing on why I still have so many symptoms!! He couldn't see any signs of Nystagmus so I don't really have any answers to why my vision jumps and jerks. He did say though that it wasn't a normal exam...my eyes do not flow smoothly when following an object back and forth and I can't look off to my left at all with out my eyes jerking back. He also said that I had trouble looking from one object to another quickly. So I asked him what could be causing it if my eye is healthy? He thinks b/c I have cranial nerve damage that it is probably affecting my eye movement as well plus the cerebellum is in charge of muscle coordination so that could have affected my eyes too. Again, I was told that if it was that then there isn't really any cure for it anyway...just time and healing...*sigh* I seem to be getting that a lot lately!!

Anyhow, he wants me to come back and do a Visual Acquity test in a couple of weeks...just to be sure that I haven't lost any of my peripheral vision. Has anyone had that done?

So at the end of it all I am just feeling frustrated...it would be so nice to have a solid answer to my issues but I guess it's not in the cards :(

Hope everyone is having a good day!
Carolyn

[*Stormy*]

Ewwww...gross... just thinking about that makes me squirm!! I bet that was not fun at all!!

So I am taking it that they didn't see any retinal detachment? I guess the retinal swelling could account for the vision problems too.  

Actually, that just reminded me..that is what my Ophtha said too, I forgot. He mentioned the visual cortex too and that could have been affected by the Chiari and there is not too much they could tell about that from the examination he did. Our occipital lobe is actually right above the cerebellum so it makes sense to me that it may have been affected.

I really hope the specialist you go to is a good one too!! Let us know how it goes!
Carolyn

[cyberpyxi]

Glad I got that one right, lol.
and Carolyn, I did finally get to my eye doc. Saturday, my vision got much darker and I was very worried about it. My regular eye doc got me in early Monday, and said my retinas were a little swollen, and sent me to a Retina Center for further testing.
DID YOU KNOW THEY LIFT YOUR EYES FROM THE SOCKETS? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT!!! and I didn't like it, either. It was just a little bit, but OMG it hurt!
They also injected me with a dye and monitored it passing through my eyes. I have no leaks or blockage, but was told that I need to see (haha) a neuro-opto. I'm getting that set up next week.

They did mention that the visual cortex is in the back of the brain, and that the chiaris may be causing the issues I am having, if too much pressure is being placed on that region of my brain due to the fluid. Here's to hoping that the Neuro-Opto is good, and that my decompression will relieve this problem, too.

[selmaS]

Yeah I get that too...I think what the heck was that and when I turn there is nothing....I thought I imagined it...lol.....or like it was a bug that was too fast for me...hahaha

I know my vision is changing fast....not sure what  or who to see next as the new eye dr I saw said my vision was fine....just like my TSH....lol.....sigh

[*Stormy*]

I get that too I call it hazy vision or shimmering vision, might be the same thing?

What I was talking about is more what you see in the edge of your vision, he said that your brain will accomodate it so you won't even realize that you can't see as far as you used to. I kind of wondered about it b/c one thing I did notice is that I kept seeing things move in my peripheral vision but when I turn and look there is nothing there, so I am wondering if that means I am losing some. I guess on May 11th I'll know:)

Carolyn

[selmaS]

So..the wavy lines that kinda look like water on a window is what u mean?...I had that many times b4 surgery....almost like sitting in the car when it is raining out....but not.....

[*Stormy*]

Selma- My Ophtha just recommended doing it b/c he said that Chiari can cause a loss of peripheral vision and it is something that you wouldn't notice b/c your brain will accomodate for it. So I don't think it was any one thing that was the deciding issue, more of a just in case thing. He doesn't anticipate that anything will come out of it.

Lisa- it is on May 11th so next week...I see things in my peripheral vision that aren't there like just a movement or something but when I look it is gone. That's the frustrating part for me too, I have all these issues (which I am not making up!!) but then they say that my vision is 20/20 (with my glasses). Which makes me feel like a liar about having blurry vision but what they don't get is that it blurs after focusing for awhile (like reading)  not just from looking at a chart on a wall. Anyway, I keep telling myself just to be happy my eye is healthy :)

Carolyn

[selmaS]

Hi all may I ask what eye issues do u have to have to get this test?

[northernstarmn]

ive had this test done and cyber is spot on.
ive had eye issues all my life and at one point was told i had macular degeneration
HA aparently i dont have that silly east coast doctors LMAO..

anyway carolyn sorry you didnt get the answers you are seeking. maybe it just simply will take time. sometimes i sware i see things that arent even there but just had an eye test and aparently they are seeing clearly hmmmmm iam not quite sure about that but hey i will roll with it for now --LOL--

when do you have the apt?
good luck

[*Stormy*]

Yes, that sounds like it!! I know you have eye issues, how did you do with that exam? Did they see anything?

How are you doing with the other eye problem, did you see your optometrist?

Carolyn

[shanmomof3]

cyberpyxi you did an excellant job of explaining what the test is! I use to work for an eye dr and thats exactly what it is.

[cyberpyxi]

Not sure if it's the same thing as the one they will give you, but i had a test where I got to be a pirate and wear an eye patch (my kids loved that). I was then faced into a satellite dish looking thing. You can see one at http://www.berwickfamilyeyecare.com.au/images/visual-field-machine.gif (no worries mods, just the picture, no forums etc :p).
Anyways, what I did was put my chin in the chin rest, have one eye covered, and press a little button when I see the dots light up around the dish. Some dots were close to the center (my focal point), and some were on the outer areas of the disk. Both eyes were tested, of course.

[selmaS]

Yeah....I am still a tad tired....and I tend to get sillier than normal : D

Well u may have ruled some things out too....time will tell .

[rod44]

Hi Carolyn, I dont know what a Visual Acquity test involves but I had this test done as part of the VNG where they moved my head around whilst getting me to identify things from a chart on the wall, they recorded my eyes during this. My ENT said I have a nod or tremor in my head and wanted to see if this was causing problems.
Ray

[*Stormy*]

Hi Selma :)

LOL...a little humor this morning? Yeah, pretty much just verified what I guess I already knew...well see how this other test turns out I guess..

Carolyn

[selmaS]

HI Carolyn....so sorry u were not as well informed leaving the office .....but sounds like u may be on to the right things to get a clearer vision of what is going on (puns were intended : )

"selma"

[*Stormy*]

Dr. Anurag- Hmmm... I am on gabapentin...I wonder if that had anything to do with why he didn't see any Nystagmus? That is really interesting that you for sharing that info!

Nicole- Thanks you too sweetie!! Unfortunately, that is the way of this condition...hard to get solid answers and I'm a person that wants to know and understand everything!!! Not a good combination :)

[nmj1973]

Sorry to hear that they weren't able to give you any solid answers, but I glad that you have a Dr. who is listening to you and is willing to work with you! :)
Have a wonderful weekend!
-Nicole

[Dr. A. Srivastava]

Thank you for your question. It is essential that you evaluate all the possibilities of nystagmus first like any underlying neurological disorder, cranial nerve damage etc. Usually, medical treatments like gabapentin and baclofen can suppress nystagmus. Additionally, injection of botulinum toxin, contact lenses, electrical stimulation over the forehead, and acupuncture to the neck muscles has been reported to reduce nystagmus and improve vision in some patients. However, your treating doctor will be best judge to provide the appropriate treatment after examining you. Hope this helps.