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My eyes are getting worse :(

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Posted 4/19/2012 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
I went to the eye doctor Tuesday for a checkup. Hes new to me; I stopped seeing my last eye doc because I was switched (without being told) to a different doctor, who yelled at me for not changing my contacts more often. She berated me about how I was going to go blind, or get glaucoma. I flat-out told her "Im sorry, but I dont make as much money as you. I cannot afford to spend $60+ a month on lenses, because I have too many other bills."

Anyway--My vision is worse than 20/200. Meaning: Even at 10 feet away, I cannot see the giant "E" on the top of the chart. I am approaching the "legally blind" status. The new eye doc said that because my lenses are such a strong prescription, they are very thick and there is not enough oxygen getting to my eye. I assume this is why the whites of my eyes have begun turning slightly gray. He also told me I have an astigmatism (which my last doc never mentioned nor fitted me for) and that there is some swelling in my eyes (which is a little discouraging). But he said that I will get the contacts I need, the ones best for me, and he will make it to where I can afford them. Im sure that the medications Ive been on have added to the demise of my vision. Ive noticed a marked deterioration over the last 6 months.

Has anyone else been told they have swelling in their eyes? Im wondering if this is a source of inflammation that keeps my CRP high.
Posted 4/19/2012 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
My dd was having trouble wearing her contacts, and the doctor told her that her corneas were a bit inflamed/swollen, possibly from allergies. He put her on steroid eye drops for a couple of weeks, and told her that when she finished those, she needed to use some prescription anti-histamine eyedrops (they are expensive, but our health insurance picks up some of it).

Also, he switched her lubricating eye drops to "Refresh Optive Sensitive" drops that come in these little vials. They aren't made specifically for contacts, but he wanted her to use them anyway to keep her contacts hydrated.

She doesn't have any other health issues, so I don't know if that kind of inflammation would have made any difference in any bloodwork she might have had done (?)

I'm glad your new doctor seems to be trying to be helpful, and I hope you can continue to wear contacts. When your eyes are that bad, you can see much better out of them than glasses (I speak from personal experience). I am sorry that your eyes are changing so fast. That must be frustrating.
Posted 4/19/2012 11:24 PM (GMT 0)
I don't mess with my vision.  If this was happening to me, I'd find the cutest pair of glasses that I could fine.  A one time expense that could last a long time and save your vision.  I've had my glasses for ten years so far. 

 

My daughter has contacts and keeps getting eye infections, too.  You only have one pair of eyes and I know I would take great care of them...even if it meant wearing glasses.

 

Sherrine

Posted 4/19/2012 11:32 PM (GMT 0)
Austen, thank you. I have also found that lenses work better for me, that glasses just dont provide the strength I need.

Sherrine, I do have a pair of glasses, but wearing them makes my head hurt; the difference between the strength of the prescription while looking through the glasses and what is visible around the frames is so drastic that it causes headaches within half an hour of putting them on. I save them for emergencies only. Even with the new compact lens technology, which enables them to make lenses thinner than before but allowing for the same strength, my lenses are a little over 1/4" thick--cokebottles, basically. My eyes have gotten dramatically worse throughout the years, and this is just the latest issue. My prescription strength in freshman year of HS was -2.25; I could have simply bought a pair of those OTC reading glasses and worn them all the time. Now, my vision is 4 times worse, and deteriorating.
Posted 4/21/2012 1:18 AM (GMT 0)
Jaden my eyes are extremely sensitive I do wear glasses they are over ten years old and I do need to get new ones but like you said they are expensive. I tried contacts and loved them but then fibro started and my eyes became too sensitive.

My grandson has to wear really thick glasses without he is almost blind and he has been told no contacts for him.

I am one of those people that buy the drug store reading glasses it looks funny but if I put the reading glasses over my seeing glasses they work like bifocals would, lol. I am quite the site in a book store, lol. I just realized this while typing my response omg it's no wonder my grandchildren go in different directions when I pull out the reading specs.
Posted 4/21/2012 2:35 AM (GMT 0)
You would be scared of my vision and my aunts vision. I have two tumors, pressing on my optical nerves due to this, I have no peripheral or depth vision. I also have depending of what angle I look out of triple and double and only to my nose single. Now my aunt is legally blind. She can see shadows and movement that is it.

Now one day I decided to take my aunt out on and about, we took the buses. So seriously here I was holding my blind cane and feeling my way up with the cane plus holding my aunts hand saying "ok we got a step that is about 3 inches high". So my aunt says to the driver "remember the phrase about the blind leading the blind?" the driver said "yes my mother would say that to me" and my aunt goes "well here we are the blind leading the blind" everyone would laugh and we became known by drivers as the blind mice LOL
Posted 4/22/2012 1:08 AM (GMT 0)
Wow, Smurfy, now I feel kinda bad complaining about my vision lol I can still see. What are they doing for the tumors in your eyes, anything? That seems like they could maybe remove them.

Love the nicknames they gave you, though lol
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