Those With Vision Challenges

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I woke up this morning with my vision being very bad. I am trying not to panic. I already ordered a large print and braille sign for my apartment door. I am hoping that my upcoming eye surgery helps but am really starting to doubt the doctors.

Any suggestions?

Comments

What kind of eye surgery

Patricia Marie Allen's picture

I had cataract surgery and cleared up my vision to a point that I'm able to drive without glasses and for the most part I don't need them to read either; only if the print is quite small and the contrast isn't good or I'm in poor light.

Hugs
Patricia

Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann

Ocular Migraine

I was also in the middle of an Ocular Migraine (painless) that is very disruptive of my vision. I'm looking for ways to enlarge the print on my computer screen, which is about 6.6 mm now. That is why I like my 34" screen so much. 'Control' + (+) only adds about 10%.

Ease of Access

This is for Windows 10, I don't know what it's like for other OSes but they'll all have something.

Open the Start Menu > Settings > Ease of Access.

It'll bring up something that'll allow you to change the size of text as it appears, and other scaling for things like icons, etc.

You might know this already, but it could be helpful for other people.


And I also want to point out my thanks for librarians. In her final years my grandmother re-discovered her love of reading (as well as cigarettes, but God help the doctor who tried to stop her, and few did.) The local library and its librarians were extremely helpful to my aunt in helping her find large print books for my granny. From what I can recall e-books and e-ink wasn't such a big thing then, and my granny had no idea how to use a computer.

Librarians are some of the saviours of the earth, however. And they're being attacked left, right and centre because of all the good work they do. They educate and inform, and even help people find happiness. That's obviously a danger to a lot of evil ideologies these days, hence the attacks. They're heroes. As are sites like BCTS and others online that provide similar services.

Second opinions are always in order.

Questions for the doc:

Is this your specialty (with ongoing education?)

How many similar procedures have you performed? What is your success rate?

What outcome can I expect?

What other conditions might be causing my symptoms?

Call 2-4 local (eye) doctors and ask their opinion of your doctor.

The USA has https://www.angi.com/, where customers rate (all kinds of) Service Providers. Might you have same/similar where you are?
===
Nut-Job alert
(Yeah, me. I know I'm a nut job. But I think I am a fairly well-informed nut job. And we bypass my opinions by me sending you my sources.)

First, start supplementing vitamin B12. "Low" or deficient B12 can impair nerve function, including retina and optic nerves.

Then get >all< animal products (meat, fish, diary, eggs) out of your diet. The fats and saturated fats in them clog up all of our arteries (not just heart and brain arteries). Clogged up arteries include the delicate arteries supplying our even more delicate retinas. (Oh, and watch out for artery-clogging fats & oils in a lot of packaged goods. Even something 'simple' and 'wholesome(?)' like 'no-stir' peanut butter. We always read the Nutrition Facts and Ingredients labels. We =expect= the front of the package to Lie.

Start for free, anytime (right now is excellent.)
https://www.pcrm.org/veganstarterkit. Did I say >Free<?

Also Free: https://veganuary.com/en-us/. Start anytime. Free.

For both sites - you need not pay them even one cent.
--
Dr Greger's https://nutritionfacts.org/ has 2,000+ topic-searchable videos. Every video is backed by research. All free.
---
Step away from the pantry, fridge, larder and head over to the sites I've given. Right now. Please. So very please.

Ocular migraine guy here ...

My Mom had similar. Painless for both us, but mine are sometimes followed by a "one aspirin" headache.

My triggers are a combination of not sleeping and not eating properly for about 1-2 days.

For me and Mom, we had one, maybe more, 'arcs' of white and blue 'zig-zags' coming in from one side.

During more dramatic episodes, reading and similar are pretty much out of the question. So I find something else to do for those 20 minutes or so.

This link kinda resembles what I 'see'. https://twitter.com/Nove1ateo/status/1076432073278156800.

Resting is important

I have found that sleep deprivation and/or insufficient rest will cause my eyes to lose focus. When the sleep deficit becomes to severe, I even get double vision on a single eye for each eye separately and individually. These symptoms will clear up if I am able to get a continuous sleep period of at least 9-12 hours.

Tired Eyes and/or Migraines (and HRT)

I have issues with my eyes and tiredness as well. From what I know eyes can have an issue with their "muscles." Simple excercises like looking out of the corners and tops of your eyes, and holding your view there for a few seconds, before moving to another side of your eye, and repeating all this can help "strengthen" the muscles. It can be disconcerting at first but it can pay off. There might even be a little strain and mild pain. Talk to someone about them, and do a bit of reading. I've also been told a lot of time on the computer, or reading, or anything that causes your eyes to look at the same distance focal point can cause issues. I was told, if possible, every hour go look out the window. Focus your eyes on something far away if you've been staring at a book or screen. The effects of which aren't limited to just your eyes.

It's worth going into an optician to talk about all this. They'll tell you if you need to see an optometrist and the optometrist will tell if you need to see a fully qualified ophthalmologist. The opticians will be free, the optometrist might have a charge, but it won't be too expensive. It's unlikely you'll need an ophtalmologist, who could be expensive, but it's not worth thinking about until you're told you need it. Even an optometrist could be a massive help.

As for migraines, optical or otherwise, I spoke to my endo about it. It's rare-ish but it does happen that hormonal issues cause migraines, or be another factor in a range of issues that cause them. I've had a few. Oestrogen changes can cause them (even missing a dose or two,) and it's worth mentioning to your doctor, especially if you feel there's a connection. It can be an issue in trans care, for both men and women. As well as any contraception or menopause issues with women, and often just aging with men.

Macular Regeneration here

Eyesight has been getting worse over the past year. I can't drive and my main reading comes from my Amazon Fire 10 because its so easy to supersize the print. Glasses don't help. I've got a start on cataracts but no where important enough for surgery. I am on a regimens of monthly shots in both eyes and wait. Growing older is getting to be so much fun.

Ron

The research says macular degeneration ...

may be accelerated by lousy diet, and maybe slowed by proper diet.

Please look "up" to my comment starting "A Second Opinion ..."

Then go down to where I say I'm a nut job, and please take the advice I've given below there.

=Can not= hurt you, and maybe will help you. Even if it doesn't help eyes, it =will= help the rest of your body.

Just =do it=. Please.

Cataract surgery

Patricia Marie Allen's picture

My optometrist diagnosed me as having the beginnings of a cataract in my right eye before I noticed any symptoms and referred me to an ophthalmologist for evaluation. She examined me and determined that it would be beneficial to do both eyes because the left eye was showing signs of following suit.

I had to take their word for it because as I said, I was unaware that there was anything wrong with my vision. I had both eyes done and I'm really glad I did. I used to need glasses for everything. Reading anything except really bold print with good contrast required glasses. I couldn't pass my driver's exam without them. Now I can drive without glasses and I only need glasses to read when the print is small or some fool thinks grey print on a beige background looks great; or otherwise messes with the contrast of the print with the background. That and sometimes when I'm in low light. Otherwise I go without glasses.

Hugs
Patricia

Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann