still here

[wheeler641]

just a short update, on jan 14, I had a central artery occlusion in my left eye, I lost 60% of my eyesight in that eye. I was scheduled for another emg, but had to put that on hold for awhile to deal with my eye problem, have had mri with contrast, ustrasound of the heart and cartoid arteries, also had ct scan of back and hip, it reads moderate right herniated L-3-4, moderate right herniation L4,L5,, minimal left lateral bulge L23, moderate broad- based herniation L5,S1, do not know if this could be causing the numbness in my feet or not. I am now also seeing a vascular specialist as they still do not know why I went partially blind in one eye Prior to the event I was having problems with kind of flashing lights in my eye, went to see a retina specialist said nothing was wrong everything was fine. Well I guess he was wrong, margaret

 

[rose]

Margaret,

It sounds like you're getting closer to some answers! I know the eye problems have to be super distressing to you.

If I remember correctly, you care for your husband, who has some health issues too?

Have you had any sort of prognosis as far as the odds of more vision returning to that eye? Regardless of what the retina specialist told you, the flashing lights (according to my retina specialist) are a warning sign for it beginning to detach. If you see the flashes again, please get yourself back to the doctor pronto! Laser surgery, right there in the doctor's office can stop it, if that is what is happening.

If, on the other hand, it really was a stroke, maybe your vascular doctor can come up with a preventive strategy before you have any more events.

I think compression of your discs can definitely cause the leg problems (I'm no expert, but it makes sense)

Good luck to you, and don't forget to look out for yourself, its not all about the hubby!

 

[AndyDJX]

Hi Margaret--

Could you describe your flashes by any chance? I have been having a whole host of bizarre ocular symptoms the past year, mostly what I would refer to as "flickering" vision. Often times if I go from light to dark (whether it's turning off a bright TV and turning the room dark, or going from a dark room to a bright room) my vision flickers as if I have my own personal strobe light embedded into my vision.

I also have some intermittent blind spots and the ability to see my pulse throb in my eye. I went to a vascular specialist, ocular specialist and a neuro-ophthalmologist and they couldn't find anything wrong. Well, the vascular folks found some issues with my heart, but nothing that could explain the vision problems.

I'm starting to wonder if the radiation treatment I had on my spine is affecting my vision as well as the twitching, weakness, atrophy that brought me to these boards!

Best,

Andy

 

[wheeler641]

rose, what I had was a crao, which is a central retina artery occlusion, got to the hospital within 5 minutes. Since then from what I have read there is a small window of time that something still can be done to dislodge the clot. I stayed in the hospital for 4 days and when I left I still did not know what had happenned to me. It was not until I was discharged and saw my own retina specialist that an angiogram was done that showed the occlusion, too little too late. There is about a 80% chance that my vision will not ever return. Seriously thinking about filing a lawsuit against the hospital, but that a whole different story. Yes, it has been rough about 2 weeks prior to my eye occlusion my husband fell and broke his kneecap, had to have someone stay with him while I was at the hospital, plus he refusing to eat, have no idea why, so he has been living off of of ensure and a few bites of food each day. I still have some vision in the eye, it is the central vision that is messed up, had a special pair of glasses made, have to go back tomorrow to have them adjusted. How have you been doing I have been following your story of the nuero giving you the mestinon to see if you improved, hopefully maybe it still will turn out to be something else, margaret

 

[wheeler641]

andy, I had been getting these strange thing happenning to my eye for about 5 months now, saw a retina specialist in september, he assured me everything was fine, but every few days or sometimes once a weak I would get like a rainbow effect in different parts of my eye and when I looked out the corner of my eye it would somehow look like static on a tv screen. The only way I can descibe it is wavy vision, like all the parts were not coonecting, wish I could descibe it better. I just lerned to ignore since I was told nothing was wrong. From what I know now it was tiny pieces of emboli going through the artery which finally busted through. It could of happenned anywhere, it could of went to my heart, lungs or brain and maybe I would not be here now, I guess I should consider myself lucky, even though I do not feel that way now. I am now on a blood thinner(plavix) which should stop another clot from forming. The scary part about it is they stll do not know where the clot came from. Well I guess I will have the Emg next month some time, hopefully I do not have als or I would really br scewed, no eye-gaze for me, margaret

 

[macdonas]

Margaret, While your eye is recovering try not too watch too much tv or computer, without protection as the glare can tire your eyes out... or wear your sunglasses when you do to cut down on the glare. Visualize a healthy optic nerve sending proper signals from the brain to th eye. Imagine coating the nerve and artery with nice smooth myelin and tissue, and only healthy fats surrounding the nerve / or inside the artery walls. Replace any weak spots with healthy coatings while you visualize and then imagine something refreshing like standing under a waterfasll or take a shower and drink water as both are purififying and cleansing.

I know from experience that 60% in one eye is alot of vision loss, and you can also still see alot with that eye too. Don't give up!

Sandra
_____________________
MS Girl married to PLS Guy.
"I've decided a full plate is better than an empty plate."

 

[lydia]

Hi Margaret,

I am so sorry about your vision loss continuing. I remember when you first posted I felt so optimistic it would improve. I am at a complete loss as to how you could spend 4 days in the hospital and no one there could figure out what was happening. So awful! I really really want my doctors to be omniscient, but gosh, I would settle for competent.

Lydia

 

[wheeler641]

I had every doctor imaginable in to see me a rheumy, vascular specialist , cardiologist, nuero, etc, Where is DR. House when you need him and his team, lol, margaret

 

[macdonas]

I hear he is rehab (LOL)!