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Deteriorating eyesight 18 months post SAH


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My eyesight has got worse since my SAH, Last year my physio advised me to go to Vision express for an eye test which I did. I wear glasses with  vari focal lenses, they gave me a new prescription.

 

The eye test was ok until the part where you place your chin on the rest and stare at a dot whilst having tiny bursts of air directed at the eyes, that left me with a black square shadow in my line of vision on my left side .

 

I was told 'Dont worry about it, if it's still there tonight, go to A&E. . What.??!! Don't worry??!!  Anyway, it disappeared that afternoon and all was well.

 

During the last few months I have noticed a deteriation in my close vision, I am struggling to read a newspaper or book, I find it quite distressing at times as I love reading (albeit very slowly these days).

 

Sorry, I've done it again, rambled on when I just wanted to ask has anyone else experienced this, if so where did you go for help? Optician, ophthalmologist? I'm considering a  cheap pair of reading glasses from Boots just to use for reading?

 

Thank you for reading, any advice greatfully received

Jan xx

 

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Hi Jan

 

My vision has changed too since my SAH but only minimally.

 

You probably need to go back to your optician to discuss your close reading problems. I wear contact lenses and find if I want to read small print when I have them in, that I need reading glasses on top. However as you have vari-focals they should be able to adjust them so you can read.

 

Get an appointment to get it all checked out. I use Specsavers but have heard that Vision Express are very good and as thats where you went last time I'd go back there.

 

Good luck

Clare xx

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Hi Jan,

 

My vision has changed since SAH, I had my eyes tested in December 2014( SAH June 2014 ) there was quite a change, anyway I had my 2 year check up last month and again there was a significant change with both my reading and distance,

 

Since SAH I have found it very difficult to read, I used to finish a book in a couple of days, can't do that now, I used to love reading, especially when at caravan, I find it very frustrating,

 

I did mention it to the optician, he said it could be I need to retrain my brain, I've been trying to do just a couple of pages at a time, but I still find sometimes the words will keep running together, he told me to take my eyes away from the page for a few seconds,that does work, I usually end up with a headache and then I give up.

 

Like Claire said, go and get it checked out, they will probably be able to sort something out for you.

 

Good Luck

Love

Michelle x

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I went to an optician before my SAH, he was Canadian and he told me I had a wonky disk in my eye ?

 

So gave opticians letter to my Doc who said he did not know what he meant.  Good Doc I have lol.

 

Anyway a year later I had my SAH and to this day,  I wonder if them dismissing the opticians letter was a warning to me ?

 

But back to my eyesight,  it is getting worse and worse also xx  We have a big TV and do you think I can see what writing says at bottom of screen.  Hold a menu close to my face ha ha  xxxx

 

Good luck All wherever you are xxxx cant see a thing xxxxx joking although it is nothing to joke about xxx !! Win in serious mode xx

 

See a proper optician xxx 

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The very first symptom I experienced when I had my NASAH was weird eyesight.  My eyes have been getting worse with age from before, mostly at dusk and dawn.  But since the bleed, they are frustrating because they are inconsistent. Sometimes they are ok, but sometimes, mostly my right eye, is blurry or doublevisioned, or shadowed.

 

I really think the bleed somehow put pressure on the optic nerve and did some damage.  I have an older brother with macular degeneration, so I worry about that too.  I haven't been back to the eye doctor since the bleed.  I probably need a check up. 

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Chris, definitely go and get your eyes checked - I was advised not to have an eye test until two years after my brain hem as the hem itself can change the sight temporarily.  Since my SAH over ten years ago my eyesight has changed  every two years until this year.  My prescription remained the same.

 

I've been short sighted since I was 19 but now I've noticed that I can't read small print so good, refuse to have bifocals as I take my glasses off to read anyway.  But I did ask if I was short sighted and was now becoming long sighted too -then shouldn't my eye sight meet in the middle at some point and give me 20 20 vision again :D

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Thank you for your replies and adviice, I will try to get an appointment next week, I'll let you know how I get on

 

As always, coming on BTG helps me to worry less, just knowing that others have had the same experience, Makes me feel a little more normal  if you know what I mean?, Oh, if only I was normal?(Not sure I can remember 'normal' !!). Ha ha  !!

 

Have a great day all

Love Jan xx

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Hello Jan,

 

I'm sorry to hear that you've been having these troubles, I think it's a good idea to have a chat with your Optomitrist.

 

There are other methods of having the pressures of the eyes checked, next time you have a full eye examination explain the issue you had so that you don't have to go through that experience again, I'm sure that it was rather frightening for you.

 

Although you have a new varifocal prescription it is worth remembering that when we are over the age of 40 then presbyopia does start (the lens of the eye begins to get stiff and less able to focus) so it could be that a seperate pair of reading glasses will help, although varifocals are great, the reading area is small.

 

The full prescription is only in the central part of the lens, so if your eyes are going to the inside or outside of the lens it won't be the full strength you require. A full frame of reading lens will give you a full field of vision, therefore easier on the eyes.

 

If you have exactly the same strength in each eye then ready readers off the shelf will be suitable, if you have any astigmatism correction required they will not correct that.

 

My SAH was behind my left eye, clip is very near my optic nerve so my vision was effected.  I've recently been having lots of visual migraines and had an MRI in December, they can not get a clear picture of my optic nerve because the clip is so close, therefore they're not sure what to do with me at the moment!!

 

I wear reading glasses and glasses for computer work, due to balance issues varificals aren't an option for me. My last test was March last year so I'm due another test soon (I'm diabetic so tested every year) however, I know my eyes have got worse so I'm fully expecting a stronger prescription to be required! 

 

Please try not to worry and let us know how you get on.

 

Take care,

 

SarahLou Xx

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Hi Sarah Lou, Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and with so much info, which really helps to make sense of it all. You say about varifocals and balance issues,  this is something I hadn't considered, my balance seems to be getting worse,

 

I thought it could be related to the tinnitus that I have recently been diagnosed with, but maybe it's vision related. Maybe I just have to accept that I'm falling apart at the seams and old age (I'm 53) is grabbing hold of me ! ,  Thank you again.

 

Clare, I think I left my 'normal' at N Staffs hospital, Maybe I should phone the ward, see if anyone's found it and handed it in ? !  Oh if only it was that easy ?

 

Jan xx

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Hi Jan,
I feel my eyesight has also deteriorated. I was told to wait 3-6 months after SAH before having eyes tested and new glasses just in case it corrects itself.
I had an appointment with an Ophthalmologist last week, all was fine. He's going to do a field of vision test in a couple of months.

I need to make an appointment at the opticians though to check if I need new glasses, definitely feel like I do.

If you feel your eyesight has got worse make an appointment and get it checked out, best be on the safe side :) 

Take care Jan.
Deb. x

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Dear Jan

 

I got my eyes tested, big time, before I re-applied for my driving licence, which they had taken away from me.   Over my life, I have lived with aged relatives who should not have been driving, my own parents and my mother-in-law.  

 

I was immensely cautious as a result.  I never thought it was wrong that I could not drive to begin with - my spaced out brain was not even capable of the standing up and turning round process!  

 

My husband encouraged me to re-apply for my licence, largely so I could drive him to the station to get to his work, but even though I had my licence again, I got my eyes tested for peripheral vision - and, I had an independent examiner watch me drive to see how capable I am.  

 

I have lived by his advice since - you're OK but don't push it.  Don't drive for more than about 45 minutes. I know it's time for me to have my eyes tested again - after all they recommend every two years - and I know I am holding the newspaper a little further away nowadays.  

 

For me, that's a function of age and throughout my life, I have had periods of stabilisation in my eyesight - four years now since I needed any alteration in my prescription but I'm pretty sure I need an alteration now.  

 

But I do think that's just change and nothing to do with what happened in my brain as a result of SAH.  But that's me and my accumulated wisdom(!) - SAH robbed me of voluntary movement - moving without thinking about it - oh, Lord, if I could just do that, move, without thinking about it.  Whatever it does to anyone is peculiar to that person.

 

I'll make a deal with you, Jan - I need to get my eyes tested and so do you.  It would be really good to do it together!  Deal?

 

Love Victoria

 

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Hi Victoria,

 

You've got a deal !  I'm phoning tomorrow to make an appointment ? You, unknowingly, have given me the boot up the behind that I needed, I've had a few down days and when I get those it's easy to put things off, so a big Thank you for that,I'll let you know when I get the appointment 

 

Love Jan xx

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Jan you missed and kicked me  lol xx Good luck the 2 of you xxxx

 

All will be well and you will walk away with a nice pair of glasses and bump into each other lol j/k  xx

 

Hope all goes well at opticians Victoria and Jan xx Deb go with them xx

 

Win xx xx
 

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