Did head injury cause vision problem? Visit to eye doc.

Today's optometrist visit was eye opening. (pun intended) He said my cataracts aren't growing much, but they are causing a bit of astigmatism which is correctable with glasses. Two different types of cataracts, a smidge of double vision. First time in nearly 70 years for glasses! He said head injuries do cause vision problems, like the astigmatism that's just cropped up since I fell on my head, even cataracts.

I have used the mildest readers, 1.25, if I have to read or am on the computer a long time, but here's the catch - he prescribed 2.25 for the reading part!

He's asked me before what strength readers I use and seemed surprised at the low power. But seriously, that's all I need. Anything stronger is way too much. I think I'm going to be taking them back.

I'm hoping correcting my vision will help me not to have to turn my head to see around the cataracts and that will help with the intolerable neck pain.

PS: I visited a cataract surgical group a couple of years ago, but they said they correct vision to 20/35 to 45. Aaagh! I have 20/25 and 20/30 now. Why would I want it to get worse? No guarantees with cataract surgery either. There are plenty of cases of worse vision problems after the surgery.

Actually, I have a central (glassblower's) cataract in one eye and a cortical (outer edge) one in the other. (Not funny that I helped my son in glassblowing for several years, but I did wear good eye protection.) There is some indication, from what I read online, that Baclofen may be related to cataracts, and head injuries may also be related, but I had minimal ones years ago. (Regular steroid use is strongly related to cataracts, and I'm now wondering about my spine injections.) However, my vision has gotten worse and changed in character in the last couple of months, along with the new, 6 broken vertebrae-caused neuropathic pain and spasticity.

Since the astigmatism is correctable with glasses I'm going to give them a try.

I really don't want to go with one eye for distance and one for reading. I'm too old and set in my ways to be happy with it. I know a lot of people are happy just to be able to see clearly. Maybe when it gets worse ...

Losing vision is adding insult to injury for CPrs.

The Baclofen is only making me weak and sleep so far. But I'm only starting week 3 - 5 mg 3 times a day. That's not much, but my record for tolerating nerve meds is a big fat zero.

Looking online at Baclofen side effects and cataracts, I pulled up some hits. I already have mild cataracts that hadn't been changing. I was looking for whether Baclofen can make them worse. I had started having a problem with double vision, which is listed as a side effect of Baclofen, but it could be the cortical cataract too, which I didn't know about at the time.

I'm having worsening weakness and pain and spasticity since starting Baclofen, also numerous palpitations, very brief tachycardia events. The weakness and spasticity were getting worse, which was the reason for starting Baclofen in the first place. I don't know if I just need a higher dose, only at 15 mg, or is this a side effect and I need to stop it. The drug has definitely worsened my dry mouth and eyes and probably is the cause of new bladder and abdominal pain.

I think I'll try to stick it out for a couple of weeks until I see the prescribing doctor. It's supposed to take a month to start helping.

It's just that it's hard to differentiate between the new-to-me symptoms, that are known to appear months after serious cervical spine injury, and known side effects of Baclofen. http://www.drugs.com/sfx/baclofen-side-effects.html

I started on the Baclofen 3 weeks ago. That's when the spinal shock was mostly gone and the spasticity started getting into high gear. Since I haven't tolerated a theraputic dose of anything so far I was put on half the lowest dose once a day for the first week and am adding that much each week. I'm on 5 mg 3 times a day and really notice side effects - or maybe the central cord syndrome is suddenly worsening.

I am sure that the tinnitus, muscle weakness, nausea, drowsiness, worse mouth dryness, muscle stiffness and tightness, worse constipation and difficulty in urination and some headaches are due to the Baclofen. From that website I am not sure if the blurry and double vision may be due to it also.

My pain doc wants me to give this a good try since nothing else has been tolerable. I can live with it for now, but if nothing improves in a few weeks I'll have to stop it (weaning off slowly) and see if it's really doing anything positive. At least my legs aren't jumping all over the place or cramping now, but the muscle and skin pain never gets below 7 at best.