Vision Problems, Any Solutions?

[margiebee]

I had a routine eye doctor appointment recently, and as usual the doctor pointed out that my eyes have trouble refocusing, like when I look at something far away and then close up they don't refocus very quickly. I have had this problem since the onset of my symptoms and the doctor has always pointed it out, but now I explained dysautonomia to her and she said it sounds like it could be part of it.

The problem is, I have bifocal glasses to try to help with this but it doesn't really do much because my eyes are still refocusing slowly no matter what. The eye doctor said that she wasn't sure what else she could do, but I was wondering if anyone else here had this issue and if you have found anything that can treat it. It becomes somewhat problematic in class when I have to look at a chalkboard across the room and then my notebook back and forth constantly.

[ShakeyTheOwl]

Hi Margiebee!

yes, have had this similar trouble of blurry vision.

Just went through very lengthy testing and appointments with opthomologist specialist, and now treating the "Dry Eye" syndrome which is common with some of the sub types of Dysautonomia.

This "dry eye" can cause blurry vision.

Am hoping by following this treatment plan that it can help. (drops, ointment & prescription drops)

I hope you can find solution/answer to help, for it is a nuisance.

[Hope]

Hi Margiebee!

yes, have had this similar trouble of blurry vision.

Just went through very lengthy testing and appointments with opthomologist specialist, and now treating the "Dry Eye" syndrome which is common with some of the sub types of Dysautonomia.

This "dry eye" can cause blurry vision.

Am hoping by following this treatment plan that it can help. (drops, ointment & prescription drops)

I hope you can find solution/answer to help, for it is a nuisance.

Just wondered do your eyes feel dry? My eyes get worse by the day. Very blurry. I'm always straining. It's been a year since I was at the eye doctor so I am getting ready to go again, but I am considering maybe seeing a different doctor. My eyes don't feel dry, I just feel like my vision in getting really bad pretty quick. I mentioned it to my primary, but she just said that I'm at the age when eyes get bad. I guess it could be. I also wondered if maybe my meds are changing my eyesight. I do notice though when I get an IV my eyesight improves greatly!

[margiebee]

My eyes do get dry frequently, which I chalk up to hypovolemia. I am pretty young so my eyes being in the state they are in isn't really normal at all, but my eye doctor seemed to really think it could be an autonomic nerve thing. I have heard some POTS meds can mess with vision as well, I think beta blockers might affect it? I could be remembering incorrectly.

[Batik]

The Dry Eye Zone is an excellent website for anything to do with dry eye. It sounds to me like it might be a muscular problem, though. Do you have ME/CFS? That causes visual problems, partly muscular and partly neurological. You're having problems with accommodation. I remember mine being written up as "accommodative inertia", which always amused me. I'm not lazy, I just have accommodative inertia.

[margiebee]

I do have a couple other symptoms of CFS, namely the sleep issues and constantly swollen lymph nodes, but I've never been diagnosed with it. I am usually not super low energy at all (adrenaline surges abound), so I'm not sure if I quite fit the profile. I do remember the doctor writing something about accomidation down, probably the same thing. I have severe vision problems pertaining to glaucoma all throughout my family so I think that was her main concern, but I don't show any signs of that yet.

Since there seems to be some overlap between CFS and dysautonomia, I wonder if its just all part of that web.

[TCP]

It's an old thread but linked my my current problems with raised eye pressure possible dx of glaucoma. I know the link is my IBS issues although we have glaucoma in my family it is a secondary consequence of retinitis pigmentosa. There was poor night vision from many years ago for me and in recent years my pupils were responding slowly to changes in light. My vision has been getting increasingly more blurry especially since being on meds. Last November the interocular pressure was raised over a period of weeks to 21/22/23 and in January it was 24 in both eyes, when I went to eye casualty. This has been accompanied by eye pain and headache. Unfortunately there has been massive delays in my getting any attention and I finally go to the eye dept for some.

Never delay having your eyes thoroughly checked out. I'm hoping mine will be OK.

[AshleyPooh]

I had my eyes checked about a year ago (before my ncs diagnosis) because of visual problems that wound up turning into a silent migraine, or that's what they say it is. Problem is, it's becoming more frequent, so I'm wondering if I shouldn't get my eyes checked again? at least for the eye pressure thig, because otherwise I'm out of luck figuring it out

[TCP]

Yes get your eyes checked properly. I think any blurring or pressure changes need to be addressed. I know people with dysautonomia do have issues with slow pupillary reactions etc and the pressure thing.

[CinderCyn]

You might check out Vision Specialists of Michigan www.vsofm.com There are only 3 doctors who specialize in-----Vertical Heterophoria----Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York. I saw Dr Debby Feinberg last month and as she said, "I can't cure POTS but I can make things better." My eye alignment was off and in her office with correction my vision cleared, nausea disappeared and all my dizziness and balance problems are gone." I have been wearing my new glasses for 3 weeks and my POTS symptoms are better...not gone...but much better! I have some blurring after I eat when the blood leaves the head for digestion but NOTHING like it was before!!

[blueskies]

I'm getting older and my eyesight is deteriorating. But I get increased blurry vision a lot now -- it's only in the past year or so I've noticed how much my eyesight becomes more blurry than is usual for me when not wearing my glasses. Usually it's 'aura' and a migraine follows. The blurry vision will continue during a migraine, sometimes.

[Querier]

Blurry vision is one of my big symptoms. My eyes check out fine. Some days are worse than others. I wake up at night with dry eyes. Not that I sleep much.

[lfreem02]

I have been diagnosed with extremely dry eyes, but the doctors can't explain the issue with slow refocusing when I change what I am looking at, or the video camera vision when I am walking. The dry eyes, and blurred vision I have also experienced are associated with Dysautonomia.

[KAD]

On 3/28/2014 at 8:59 AM, CinderCyn said:

You might check out Vision Specialists of Michigan www.vsofm.com There are only 3 doctors who specialize in-----Vertical Heterophoria----Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York. I saw Dr Debby Feinberg last month and as she said, "I can't cure POTS but I can make things better." My eye alignment was off and in her office with correction my vision cleared, nausea disappeared and all my dizziness and balance problems are gone." I have been wearing my new glasses for 3 weeks and my POTS symptoms are better...not gone...but much better! I have some blurring after I eat when the blood leaves the head for digestion but NOTHING like it was before!!

I was just diagnosed with vertical heterophoria by the Neurovision Center of NY and get my glasses this week. In order to align your eyes they use a prism in your prescription which corrects the misalignment and  allows the eyes muscles to relax. In turn all of the extra work your brain and nervous system have been doing to accommodate this dysfunction is reduced. Since eye movement is  a function of the autonomic nervous system it makes sense that all of the extra work to process visual stimuli can have a significant effect on the nervous system. It kicks your sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight) into constant activation which becomes exhausting mentally and physically. Plus the added symptoms of dizziness, balance and coordination issues. I believe this is a significant contributor to dysautonomia as it overworks the autonomic nervous system. Of course I am not a doctor but have spent countless hours studying the nervous system to address overstimulation, chronic fatigue, combined with constant adrenaline flooding my system, Vision problems including blurriness, difficulty on the computer and watching TV dysautonomia (orthostatic hypotension, POTS etc.) While I don’t expect this to solve everything I am really hoping for a significant reduction of symptoms over time. I am not sure if more eye doctors have become aware of vertical heterophoria since the post above but given that’s it’s been quite some time since the post above it would seem likely. I’d urge people to consider this and will update on my results!

[Nin]

I've had problems with my eyes for over a year. I cannot read a book, looks at a screen without me spinning out. Once I do look at my phone or try to read something it happens and that's me spinning all day! So I only look at my phone at night when I know I'm going to be going to bed soon. Even talking to people really strains my eyes because I have to focus to look at them. Dry eyes I have as well. This is something I need to check out. I did have a vestibular function test appointment but they cancelled it because of covid. Hoping it will eventually shed some light on it.