anneec

Hello I am a retired Optometrist ( retired due to my SAH 6 years ago) and I used to do the Esterman visual field test for the DVLA. The test is done with both eyes together as if you were driving, this actually means if one eye has a field defect the other eye may well have vision covering that patch of the visual field so it is ok. It does take a bit longer than a normal field test but is not scary, you do have to concentrate and just keep alert! The DVLA do allow for some missed spots of light but their worry is if there is an area with a patch of several missed spots close together. I was not allowed to tell the patient the result of the test, we had to send the results in to the DVLA and they made the decision. I had the test done myself before I started to drive again following my SAH for peace of mind. I read the posts regularly with great interest and follow everyone's progress, but don't often write in myself. Good luck with the test. Hopefully the person doing the test will make sure you are comfortable and are well aware of what is going to happen. Best wishes Anne

Hello Karen and everyone I've played 18 holes of golf today in the heat, in lovely Herefordshire countryside. Drinking LOTS of water as I went. Didn't win anything but enjoyed it. It's 6 years since my NASAH, didn't play for 14 months post SAH, and I have recently won 2 lovely trophies golfing at my club, one I last won in 1998 and the other I had never won before, I was truly thrilled, as were many of my friends for me. I tell my friends we are so lucky to be walking around hitting that silly little ball and if we do win something then that's a bonus. Can't play as often as pre SAH have to pace myself and some days aren't very good but its wonderful for me. All part of getting to the new me Hope everyone is enjoying the heatwave. Best wishes Anne:oops: That's my sunburn!

Hello Tony Hope that you have had a very good 1st anniversary. Lots of time for things to keep improving for you in the future. I was told by the specialist it would be 18 months post SAH before I would be anything like back to my full recovery. I have had a good 6th anniversary, in work for my 5 hours this afternoon. Still after all this time I can't help but acknowledge it, and celebrate this extra time I might not have had. We are all lucky souls no matter what problems we have post SAH we are here! I am as I am, not the same as pre SAH but I am happy enough with the new me, ongoing problems and all. Some things are definitely better post SAH. Good to look on the bright side, I have always been a glass half full soul. Lucky. Best wishes to you and everyone else Anne

Hello again Sonia. I expect you feel better now you have seen them. So glad they have you under their care now, they will probably monitor the photos every year, make sure all is stable. I know what you mean about finding someone you get on with and trust to test your eyes, same as with a dentist, when I was working I had some folk who even followed me when I changed jobs! I bet your optician will be pleased to have a report from the hospital, good to have follow-up. All the best to you Anne x:roll:

I had my first migraine as a teenager, aura and visual field loss followed by the headache, ( I was in a queue in Cardiff Boots store buying an LP!) and was frightened to death. Turned out my Dad suffered with them aura and headache following, my Mum also had them but used to be very sick with hers, so I got away fairly lightly. I have an identical twin sister who has only had 1 in her life while I had them regularly, all of my life, mainly hormonal and stress-related I think like Gill (Bagpuss). Since the NASAH 5 years ago I have had only 2 visual attacks, zigzags and field loss but no headaches so it is bliss. Does it seem that there is a higher percentage of migraine sufferers here? some quote 10% of the general world population have them. It is all to do with dilation of cranial blood vessels so maybe there is some link? No idea but makes you think. Take care all Anne

Hello again Sonia Hope all goes well at the next appointment. I made sure I had a special visual field test before I started driving again, months after my SAH, an Esterman test which the DVLA requests sometimes, so I knew I was ok. I'm fine thanks Sonia, my worst ongoing prob is can't multitask now and I do get frustrated with it but worse things at sea! Enjoy this lovely weather Anne xx

Hello to you Sonia, Michelle, Mary and Win Its weird but its 5 years since my SAH and hence 5 years since I worked as an Optpmetrist and I think i have forgotten things but someone will ask me something and stuff surfaces in my brain and out it all comes. Bit more info as requested.. Lots of people have a cup in their optic disc as a normal, its when the cup is larger in one eye than the other or if they are very large cups that there are worries. I often referred people to their GPs in the past if I hadn't seen the patient before to make sure that their cup shape and size was their normal and all ok. Increases in the size of a cup over time are due to changes in the nerve fibres of the optic nerve, this could well be because of the past pressure of your 2 annies on the optic nerve, Sonia. Most cases I saw in my working life were due to Glaucoma but they were caused by higher pressure within the eye. I don't know anything about MRI scans and discs, sorry. The drops just make the pupils larger so the optician has a better view all around the inside of the eye, but the discs would be as visible without the drops. Sorry I am late answering. I played golf today and came home soaking wet and tired out, ended up falling asleep. Happy Wednesday everyone Anne xx

Hello Sonia Hope all goes well with your appointments. I am a retired Optometrist (since my SAH), I wonder if you have had optic disc cupping explained to you. I am just going to write a short explanation so please forgive me if you already know this, others who have read your thread may find it of interest. The Optician or Doctor when they look in your eye with their ophthalmoscope ( the torch where they come very close to you to look in the eyes), sees the retina as a pink lining of the eyeball. There is a smallish creamy white oval which is the optic disc, this is where the optic nerve enters the eye. All very pretty when you first see it. The optic disc may appear flat , level with the retina but many people have a cup appearance where there is a scooped out appearance of the disc. The cups are usually similar right and left eyes, and if the appearance changes which it can do over a time, for many different reasons, folk will be referred for specialist opinion and advice. They have very clever instruments now to look at the profile of the disc cup. Sorry if that was boring but I am always interested to find out more about things. Hope you have found this helpful. Best wishes Anne

Happy Sunday to everyone. Thank you Michelle (GG), SarahLou and Sandi for your kind words. Glad if my thoughts helped a bit. There was never any chance of me returning to Optometry so in a way I was lucky, I knew I had to try and find something else. As someone said it was very hard at first as being an Optometrist was who I was. I still am one in my head. When I got home after my 3 weeks in Hosp post NASAH, and 5 weeks at my sisters ( I live on my own so couldn't come straight home) it was only then I truly found out what cognitive problems I have been left with. I think most are still with me but I have found ways to cope, or work around them. I eventually started applying for allsorts of part-time jobs, after a little while I realised that even if I had had an interview or was to be considered I would not be able to do or cope with what would be expected of me. Then the job I have popped up! and I was chosen over others which did my self-esteem a great deal of good. I look at this site every day I am not sure why 5 years on, but it helps to read all the goings on. I have a golf friend who had the same as me 3 years later and she has tried to put what happened out of her head, wouldn't even look at this site, she is older and retired and married so maybe her life has been less affected which helps but I feel this has been a life-changing event and is part of the new me. It has made me reassess things and re-evaluate everything, see life from a different view. I hope you are all feeling positive today and we must all try to look forward to bigger and better things. Never know whats around the corner and I'm the eternal optimist which helps! I'm off to work now to control those golfers. Love Anne x

Hi Sandi I look forward to your posts as you are always a positive and constructive soul in your answers and comments , so sorry to see you are down today. I had my NASAH 5 years this last Wednesday. I had to give up my profession as an Optometrist after 30 years as my near vision was affected, ironic after 30 years helping folk improve their vision! Few other ongoing probs that I try and work around. I now have a part-time receptionist job at a golf centre and I LOVE it, I had also loved the old job. If I hadn't had the SAH I have no doubt I would still be in the Eye-world, but I truly believe that I am much better in a less stressful job. (Not financially, but just about ticking along so mustn't grumble too much!). I am a great believer in fate though at times I do wonder what its all about, I am sure they will find you a job that will use all your best skills, but not as frantic or stressful. There's more to life.... They obviously still value you. I really wish you all the best, all good wishes Anne

Hello Donna I am almost 5 years on (16th May) and still at times have giddiness, much, much better than 5 years ago though. Sounds like you have had labrynthitis, think thats how you spell it. Inner ear thing. I did have a bout of postural vertigo, since the SAH, woke one morning with the world going round and round, felt very sick and disorientated, managed to get myself up and found it was better when not lying down. Saw Dr and he diagnosed it and gave me stemitil tabs till it settled, I had to prop myself up to sleep which wasn't easy but eventually it disappeared. Was scared though to start with. Hope yours setttles soon. I'm too old for time of the month probs, thank heavens, had probs with that all my life!!!!!! Have a happy monday eveyone Best wishes Anne x

Interesting to see other peoples opinions and experiences. My SAH May 2007, couldn't return to my profession as an Optometrist due to ongoing near vision problems. ( I also have some cognitive probs that I have found ways to cope with.) Didn't see the disability lady at the Jobcentre as soon as I should have but as soon as I did in Dec 2007 she found me a part-time job which suited fairly well. In Oct 2008 we were all made redundant. Did a 6 week M & S Xmas job but knew I couldn't do it longterm, need to be able to sit a bit when I get a giddy. I was then writing off for jobs and getting nowhere and in fact I truly believe I wouldn't have been able to do most of them. Needed the Jobseekers though to be able to live! June 2008 again with the help of the Jobcentre disability lady I had an interview with a small family run firm. I was interviewed as were many other non-medically-affected people and they chose me! As it turned out I had just the experience and skills and knowledge that they wanted. Did my self-esteem no end of good. Suits me down to the ground and I seem to suit them too. I think employers need to know before they employ you, my boss has made various special arrangements to suit me which in fact help everyone else too. Good luck to everyone hoping to find something to suit. Best wishes Anne

Hello Fancydancer This website has been a godsend to me since I found it and I hope it will be for you too. I was 6 months post SAH when I found it, you've done really well to find it so soon. I read all the 'My storys' and cried at some of them, it all seemed to put things in perspective. I had my SAH May 2007, was taken to Worcester Hosp and then blue-lighted to Coventry where I too stayed for 3 weeks. You have to be very patient and treat yourself kindly for quite some time. Your body will tell you when you need a rest, so plenty of rest and 2-3 litres of water a day. I remember the Specialist telling me it would be 2 years for the maximum recovery which seems ages when it is the future but looking back it seems no time at all. Good luck to you Anne x:-D

Hello Laura Sorry you have been worried by the news from your Optometrist. I was an Optometrist for 30 years until my SAH 4 years ago. I have been left with near vision problems and had to give up my profession, but it surprises me when necessary all the optical info bursts into my head. Astigmatism is quite a common thing and means you need a slightly different sort of prescription lens to correct it, I wouldn't have thought it was definitely to do with the SAH. Anyone can need a new prescription for their specs which includes a correction for their astigmatism. I think the word astigmatism makes people think they have "a stigma", which sounds awful, but it is an astigmatism. As regards the pale retina, possible nerve damage etc I would definitely ask to be referred for specialist opinion, the GP should do that, I am surprised the Optometrist didn't say they would send a report to your GP. I was referred from my Neurologist ( from Coventry Uni Hospital) for Consultant Ophthalmologist opinion, and had a good check. Good luck with it Anne:crazy:

Hello Vicky I have had migraines for 40 years with the zigzags, and some visual field loss, (usually a quarter of the field missing), followed by a headache. Since my SAH I just seem to have the aura and field loss, no headache though so its an improvement for me. A problem for maybe half an hour these days. I think mine are much less frequent these days, I am nearly at my 4 year anniversary. Just have to take a deep breath and let it pass. Never found that pills helped. Hope they get less for you too soon. Best wishes Anne