Tuesday, October 02, 2012

My Vision

My vision seems to be deteriorating. It feels like my glasses are dirty even after I've just cleaned them. I always feel like there's a burned-out bulb in the overhead light of whatever room I'm in.

I wore glasses before I ever heard that I had Optic Neuritis, Uhthoff's sign, and another MS-related vision phenomenon that I already forgot the name of.  I stopped driving about 4 years ago when I realized I couldn't see well enough to guarantee the safety of my kids, me, or the other people walking, driving, or biking on the road.  

My latest vision loss could be an issue with my eyes, which would be good. Eye issues are correctable. I could just get new glasses with a stronger prescription.

It could be an issue with my optic nerves, however, which is not so good. Some optic nerve issues are not correctable like during my first exacerbation when the initial demylenation was happening and my optic nerves were damaged while they were exposed. Until somebody figures out how to reverse nerve damage, I'm kind of stuck with that.

There are also issues of optic nerve inflammation which are good. Well, not good, exactly, but reversible. I didn't know that some of my vision issues were in this category until I gave up gluten and the optic nerve inflammation that I didn't know was there was reduced and some of my vision was restored. This was actually very good. I dig it when I can change the status quo with a simple diet change.

My last MRI showed no activity on my optic nerves (or anywhere else on my brain or spine) but my vision is definitely worsening. When I mentioned my current vision issues to my neurologist a couple weeks ago, he gave me a referral to an neuro-opthamologist who will, no doubt, run me through the gambit of eye exams, including the one where I have to put my head in a mini planetarium and push a button when I see a blinky light.  I hate eye exams. I feel like I'm in an advanced class that I never attended before and it's exam day.

I never leave the neuro-opthamologist's office, the optometrist's office, or even the eyeglass store feeling like I am doing everything to see as well as possible. Maybe I didn't describe the blurriness correctly, maybe I didn't explain sufficiently how I see worse when I'm in motion, or maybe, the digital machine that's supposed to relieve me of the impossible task of saying whether a particular lense is better or worse, isn't calculating things appropriately.

Since I have no resolution to wrap things up neatly, I will leave you with a song:



And another:



And, what the hell, here's another:

 

2 comments:

  1. Sorry - this reminds me how far overdue I am for my ophthalmologist's appt! (My middle-aged eyes are slipping badly, the R eye getting more farsighted while the L seems more nearsighted)
    I've had a happy 20 yrs w/out contacts or glasses (after Lasik surg), but may have to pick myself out some new frames soon...

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  2. Sigh--I can't say I'm "happy" to read this, but it's nice to read something that embodies what I'm feeling as well. I feel like my vision is deteriorating again, 4 years after my initial diagnosis (presenting symptom was Optic Neuritis, and Uthoff's symptom) , but I struggle to articulate my symptoms. My last trip to an Opthalmologist indicated that I would benefit from "fake tears" and possibly reading glasses--but I know something is going on beyond those recommendations. I did not know there were neuro-opthalmologists, so I think that might be my next area to research. Long story short, I'm with you--and I hope you find answers to your questions and solutions to your issues.

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