Blurry Vision

[Rainbow40]

Why is my vision so blurry?
It just keeps getting worse and worse everyday.
I don't have diabetes.
In just 2 months, my prescription went from -12 to -14!
My ophthalmologist can't give me a straight explanation.
I am so miserable because even with extremely thick glasses, everything is so blurry.
What is going on?

[Rainbow40]

Unfortunately, I can't wear contact lens because my eyes are too dry.
I'm so miserable wearing very thick glasses.
I really hope my diagnosis is cataracts and nothing worse.

[SoftwareDeveloper]

Although cataracts usually take years to develop, sometimes  a cataract can cause a major shift in vision in a short time. When my problem cataract first caused trouble in one eye, I hadn't known what was happening because  the astigmatism changed in about 3.5 months from -0.75D to -4D (and best corrected vision went from 20/25 to 20/60, i.e. even with contacts that eye couldn't see as well).  My optometrist was puzzled as to the cause, perhaps partly since I was only 49 so it isn't usual to see a problem cataract at that age, nor do they usually change vision that quickly.. but they can sometimes.   I went to an ophthalmologist who diagnosed the issue as  a nuclear cataract. Then over the next 2.5 years the astigmatism faded away, but the sphere went from -9.5D to -19D before I finally scheduled surgery.  The vision in the other eye had remained good which is why I'd been able to postpone surgery in hopes of  a better replacement lens being approved.

It is still best to have an ophthalmologist run a complete set of eye scans to be sure there is no other eye health issue causing problems, fortunately my only issue was the cataract.

I don't know if you've ever tried contact lenses, but many high myopes do find they have have better vision with contact lenses, I always did.   If you do have cataract surgery they will replace the natural lens with an artificial lens which can chosen to try to correct your vision, and can perhaps  eliminate the need for correction for that eye. The issue will be that the other eye will still need correction until it is operated on, which is easiest to do with a contact lens (or laser correction). Eyeglasses don't work well with one eye being 0D (or close to that) as it may be after surgery,  and the other eye -12D (or whatever it is). I wound up getting a lens implant in the 2nd eye as well even though it didn't have a problem cataract, so I see almost 20/15 now without correction.

[Rainbow40]

Thank you so much for your advice.
My ophthalmologist did mention that he could possibly perform cataract surgery on me in 6 months.
For years, I had a cataract in 1 eye.
I think my other eye recently developed a cataract.
I'm going back to see him in 3 weeks.

[JohnHaganMD]

I would suggest you get a second opinion from a ophthalmologist that specializes in corneal disease. You need to have our cornea checked with topography to be sure you do not have keratoconus; also that you do not have an early cataract. You can also discuss with the ophthalmologist your options regarding refractive surgery to make your prescription thinner and your vision better.

You can find a cornea/refractive surgeon near you at www.geteyesmart.org or you can use one of the excellent Dept of Ophthalmology at medical schools in Washington DC

JCH MD