Eyesight And Glasses Part Ii

[DTMark]

Following on from where the previous thread left off:

Went to see an optician about 9 months ago - kept getting a sense of eye fatigue. Wasn't struggling to see anything but felt like my eyes were getting very 'tired' for want of a better word.

Told I was slightly long-sighted and given a prescription for glasses to use for work. Wore those. Made absolutely no difference whatsoever. They do make the screens (two monitors) bigger but then they would; I wasn't struggling to read detail before anyway.

Went back to optician a week ago. Tests repeated. Prescription changed.

Right Old | New

SPH +0.50 | + 0.50

CYL +0.50 | - 0.50

AXIS 70.00 | 80.00

Near +0.75 | + 1.25

Left Old | New

SPH +0.50 | + 0.75

CYL +0.50 | - 0.75

AXIS 90.00 | 100.00

Near +0.75 | +1.25

I went back to have the tests redone because the problem is worsening.

In addition I've had four sets of "auras" - a bit like looking at something in the distance on a hot day, parts of my sight "shimmer" - in the last three weeks. Two progressed to a headache. The aura is triggered seemingly randomly, not always when studying a screen/indoors, and clears within an hour.

I had the first one about a year ago but they haven't been this close together before.

Believe this is called an "ocular migraine".

http://www.healthline.com/health/causes-of-ocular-migraines

That page has a list of triggers. "Bright lights" is the one, I think. So it's back to where it started: my eye problems seem to have more to do with sensitivity to light than anything else. Which in turn is a side-effect of migraines.

Can also be low blood sugar (diabetes). It isn't that (tested blood sugar). Though I do get a dry mouth and crave sweet things lately, and a shaking sensation. Yet the blood glucose thing I bought reads 6.2 fairly consistently.

So I'm looking at the "secondary causes" on that linked page which include "brain tumour" and becoming concerned as this has gone on for a while now.

Went to doctor, not having that much confidence in optician. Basically "You get migraines and they can have lots of triggers". OK, that's no further forward. Why? What has changed? I can't identify anything.

I'm registering with a private GP in Winchester to get another opinion. Its 20 miles away but it is the nearest private GP to here, and I need to sort out a private GP anyway, getting appointments with the NHS is a farce. Should have that set up next week and am going to go down there for an appointment to review this.

Anything you think I should pursue or ask?

[MrPin]

Opticians can't cure migraine. You are a bit long sighted with a bit of astigmatism. I intuited that merely from your spectacle prescription. You probably should use glasses for looking at screens. You have reached a "certain age".

No harm getting checked out.

[SarahBell]

You are working too hard and using a monitor too much?

This is something they are going to ask I imagine.
They will blame it on age, stress, weight, level of activity.

Have you had a holiday recently away from phones and screens?

[MrPin]

Did you pay an extra £20 to have a special machine look at your retina? I did, and I had moles in one eye. Apparently lots of people do, but you can see other ailments, like diabetes, if the optician looks close.

[SarahBell]

Opticians can't cure migraine. You are a bit long sighted with a bit of astigmatism. I intuited that merely from your spectacle prescription. You probably should use glasses for looking at screens. You have reached a "certain age".

No harm getting checked out.

And have glasses for reading books AND reading screens. They should be slightly different.

[MrPin]

And have glasses for reading books AND reading screens. They should be slightly different.

That is correct. You must have very serious looking spectacle frames for books, especially if they are old books. You need happier coloured frames for TV and computers. Any optician will happily sell you 3 pairs of glasses when one pair would do.

[Bruce Banner]

Following on from where the previous thread left off:

Went to see an optician about 9 months ago - kept getting a sense of eye fatigue. Wasn't struggling to see anything but felt like my eyes were getting very 'tired' for want of a better word.

Told I was slightly long-sighted and given a prescription for glasses to use for work. Wore those. Made absolutely no difference whatsoever. They do make the screens (two monitors) bigger but then they would; I wasn't struggling to read detail before anyway.

Went back to optician a week ago. Tests repeated. Prescription changed.

Right Old | New

SPH +0.50 | + 0.50

CYL +0.50 | - 0.50

AXIS 70.00 | 80.00

Near +0.75 | + 1.25

Left Old | New

SPH +0.50 | + 0.75

CYL +0.50 | - 0.75

AXIS 90.00 | 100.00

Near +0.75 | +1.25

I went back to have the tests redone because the problem is worsening.

In addition I've had four sets of "auras" - a bit like looking at something in the distance on a hot day, parts of my sight "shimmer" - in the last three weeks. Two progressed to a headache. The aura is triggered seemingly randomly, not always when studying a screen/indoors, and clears within an hour.

I had the first one about a year ago but they haven't been this close together before.

Believe this is called an "ocular migraine".

http://www.healthline.com/health/causes-of-ocular-migraines

That page has a list of triggers. "Bright lights" is the one, I think. So it's back to where it started: my eye problems seem to have more to do with sensitivity to light than anything else. Which in turn is a side-effect of migraines.

Can also be low blood sugar (diabetes). It isn't that (tested blood sugar). Though I do get a dry mouth and crave sweet things lately, and a shaking sensation. Yet the blood glucose thing I bought reads 6.2 fairly consistently.

So I'm looking at the "secondary causes" on that linked page which include "brain tumour" and becoming concerned as this has gone on for a while now.

Went to doctor, not having that much confidence in optician. Basically "You get migraines and they can have lots of triggers". OK, that's no further forward. Why? What has changed? I can't identify anything.

I'm registering with a private GP in Winchester to get another opinion. Its 20 miles away but it is the nearest private GP to here, and I need to sort out a private GP anyway, getting appointments with the NHS is a farce. Should have that set up next week and am going to go down there for an appointment to review this.

Anything you think I should pursue or ask?

Your spectacle prescription is very mild so I'm not surprised it doesn't make a lot of difference. If you're concerned, why not pop along to the ophthalmology department of your local NHS hospital and get a proper eye doctor to have a look.

http://www.hampshirehospitals.nhs.uk/our-services/a-z-departments-and-specialities/o/ophthalmology-(eyes).aspx

[MrPin]

Your spectacle prescription is very mild so I'm not surprised it doesn't make a lot of difference. If you're concerned, why not pop along to the ophthalmology department of your local NHS hospital and get a proper eye doctor to have a look.

http://www.hampshirehospitals.nhs.uk/our-services/a-z-departments-and-specialities/o/ophthalmology-(eyes).aspx

Opticians do that already Bruce. They will send to to a special hospital if they find something unusual. In this case they haven't, so let's not get the bloke worried. Actually a +1.25 it's quite hard to deal with screens or small soldering.

[Bruce Banner]

Opticians do that already Bruce. They will send to to a special hospital if they find something unusual. In this case they haven't, so let's not get the bloke worried. Actually a +1.25 it's quite hard to deal with screens or small soldering.

I suggested it to put his mind at rest, not to worry him.

[Bossybabe]

Following on from where the previous thread left off:

Went to see an optician about 9 months ago - kept getting a sense of eye fatigue. Wasn't struggling to see anything but felt like my eyes were getting very 'tired' for want of a better word.

Told I was slightly long-sighted and given a prescription for glasses to use for work. Wore those. Made absolutely no difference whatsoever. They do make the screens (two monitors) bigger but then they would; I wasn't struggling to read detail before anyway.

Went back to optician a week ago. Tests repeated. Prescription changed.

Right Old | New

SPH +0.50 | + 0.50

CYL +0.50 | - 0.50

AXIS 70.00 | 80.00

Near +0.75 | + 1.25

Left Old | New

SPH +0.50 | + 0.75

CYL +0.50 | - 0.75

AXIS 90.00 | 100.00

Near +0.75 | +1.25

I went back to have the tests redone because the problem is worsening.

In addition I've had four sets of "auras" - a bit like looking at something in the distance on a hot day, parts of my sight "shimmer" - in the last three weeks. Two progressed to a headache. The aura is triggered seemingly randomly, not always when studying a screen/indoors, and clears within an hour.

I had the first one about a year ago but they haven't been this close together before.

Believe this is called an "ocular migraine".

http://www.healthline.com/health/causes-of-ocular-migraines

That page has a list of triggers. "Bright lights" is the one, I think. So it's back to where it started: my eye problems seem to have more to do with sensitivity to light than anything else. Which in turn is a side-effect of migraines.

Can also be low blood sugar (diabetes). It isn't that (tested blood sugar). Though I do get a dry mouth and crave sweet things lately, and a shaking sensation. Yet the blood glucose thing I bought reads 6.2 fairly consistently.

So I'm looking at the "secondary causes" on that linked page which include "brain tumour" and becoming concerned as this has gone on for a while now.

Went to doctor, not having that much confidence in optician. Basically "You get migraines and they can have lots of triggers". OK, that's no further forward. Why? What has changed? I can't identify anything.

I'm registering with a private GP in Winchester to get another opinion. Its 20 miles away but it is the nearest private GP to here, and I need to sort out a private GP anyway, getting appointments with the NHS is a farce. Should have that set up next week and am going to go down there for an appointment to review this.

Anything you think I should pursue or ask?

Please be very careful about this and GET IT CHECKED OUT BY SEEING YOUR GP OR GOING TO YOUR LOCAL A&E. This 'ocular migraine' without the headache was, in my case, the precursor to a full stroke. For me, it looks like a circle, or arc, made up of shiny, interlocking triangles. I had these 'visual disturbances' for around a week, and as usual couldn't get an appointment with my GP when i phoned the surgery on the Friday. They gave me one for the following Tuesday morning, but it was too late. When I got up that day, I could barely stand or get downstairs. The stroke worsened for two days after my admission to hospital until I couldn't move my left arm at all and struggled to walk. They said it was my fitness and unusually good sense of balance that allowed me to do that much. Also look out for weakness in the fingers, specially the two smallest ones, on each hand. I still get these 'spakles' now and again - a sign that my BP is raised. I check it and lie down for a day if it's high - if it got outraageous, I'd call an emergency ambulance.

My blood pressure on admission was 205/110. It was a very scary time, and although they thrombolise nowadays, but didn't in 2003 when I had the stroke, so it may not have such lasting damage, but 2 out of 3 who have an ischaemic [clot blockage] stroke may not survive. You really need to get your BP checked. NOW, or it may be too late to thrombolise if that's what is happening. Much of the lasting I suffered is still with me now, 13 years later, although I made a great effort at the gym and physio to rehabilitate. Please let me know how you get on, and don't delay.

If I've scared you, I'm sorry, DTM. I wouldn't wish what happened to me on my worst enemy. Please PM me and let me know how you get on.

[GreenDevil]

I had a check once and the optician gave me an axis prescription (which i never had before) and it screwed up my sight balance and a few other things. Got rid of it and ok again.

[DTMark]

Opticians can't cure migraine. You are a bit long sighted with a bit of astigmatism. I intuited that merely from your spectacle prescription. You probably should use glasses for looking at screens. You have reached a "certain age".

No harm getting checked out.

I'm only 43..

As it is now: twice in the last couple of weeks I've had to stop work by lunchtime and have a lie down to stave off a full-on migraine.

What's bugging me is the way in which some of the - have become + in the prescription. It seems "hit and miss".

"Is that clearer... or that?"

"Can you go back. I hadn't focused on the last one."

.. again and again.

You are working too hard and using a monitor too much?

This is something they are going to ask I imagine.

They will blame it on age, stress, weight, level of activity.

Have you had a holiday recently away from phones and screens?

I used to go on here in the evenings quite often. I don't do that now - only occasionally, just the normal 10 - 5 for work.

But even on Monday morning my eyes can be weeping and really fatigued after two days away.

Did you pay an extra £20 to have a special machine look at your retina? I did, and I had moles in one eye. Apparently lots of people do, but you can see other ailments, like diabetes, if the optician looks close.

They took photos of the eyes. Nothing abnormal found there or in the examination where a light gets shone and he has a look around. Doctor didn't find anything either.

Your spectacle prescription is very mild so I'm not surprised it doesn't make a lot of difference. If you're concerned, why not pop along to the ophthalmology department of your local NHS hospital and get a proper eye doctor to have a look.

http://www.hampshirehospitals.nhs.uk/our-services/a-z-departments-and-specialities/o/ophthalmology-(eyes).aspx

Might be an idea..

[Scunnered]

In addition I've had four sets of "auras" - a bit like looking at something in the distance on a hot day, parts of my sight "shimmer" - in the last three weeks. Two progressed to a headache. The aura is triggered seemingly randomly, not always when studying a screen/indoors, and clears within an hour.

I occasionally get things that look exactly like this (minus the road):

This was diagnosed as ocular migraine. There's no headache at all, but acquaintances who suffer from real migraine tell me they see the same thing at the start of an attack, shortly before they get an incapacitating headache.

These didn't start until I was about 40, so I went to my GP. She said they were probably completely harmless, but nonetheless referred me to a brain expert who I saw several months later, and who asked me lots of questions before repeating that there was nothing to worry about.

Do ask your doctor about it if you're worried though: it's much better to have an expert opinion than go about in a state of worry that something horrible's going to happen.

[porca misèria]

Bossybabe's story isn't the same as mine from last year, but it shares elements in common: vision problems as the symptom of a mini-stroke.

There was a story on the wireless just this morning, recalling an episode where the symptoms and diagnosis were extremely similar to mine. Might be worth a listen to see if it rings any bells?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07hj59r

My story blogged: https://bahumbug.wordpress.com/2015/04/03/der-prozess/ .

[DTMark]

Please be very careful about this and GET IT CHECKED OUT BY SEEING YOUR GP OR GOING TO YOUR LOCAL A&E. This 'ocular migraine' without the headache was, in my case, the precursor to a full stroke. For me, it looks like a circle, or arc, made up of shiny, interlocking triangles. I had these 'visual disturbances' for around a week, and as usual couldn't get an appointment with my GP when i phoned the surgery on the Friday. They gave me one for the following Tuesday morning, but it was too late. When I got up that day, I could barely stand or get downstairs. The stroke worsened for two days after my admission to hospital until I couldn't move my left arm at all and struggled to walk. They said it was my fitness and unusually good sense of balance that allowed me to do that much. Also look out for weakness in the fingers, specially the two smallest ones, on each hand. I still get these 'spakles' now and again - a sign that my BP is raised. I check it and lie down for a day if it's high - if it got outraageous, I'd call an emergency ambulance.

My blood pressure on admission was 205/110. It was a very scary time, and although they thrombolise nowadays, but didn't in 2003 when I had the stroke, so it may not have such lasting damage, but 2 out of 3 who have an ischaemic [clot blockage] stroke may not survive. You really need to get your BP checked. NOW, or it may be too late to thrombolise if that's what is happening. Much of the lasting I suffered is still with me now, 13 years later, although I made a great effort at the gym and physio to rehabilitate. Please let me know how you get on, and don't delay.

If I've scared you, I'm sorry, DTM. I wouldn't wish what happened to me on my worst enemy. Please PM me and let me know how you get on.

Not at all, I thank you for your forthrightness.

I am concerned that there is something more to this.

"Just a little long-sighted, you need glasses for close work, it's quite normal for your age".

But they don't help.

Then the prescription changes quite a bit in just 9 months.

All the secondary causes are brain related - tumours, bleeds and so on. Mind you it started nearly a year ago.

Doctor did check blood pressure and pulse, both within normal limits.

I don't see shapes as such. Imagine that as you look at this screen, you have to move your head left and right slightly to follow the text because it looks like there are gaps. One of my eyes is worse than the other confirmed by both sets of prescriptions.

The aura was mostly on the left hand side last time, I thought to close each eye in turn to test this out.

I should be able to get to see the private GP on Tuesday at the latest.

It may be nothing serious, but if it is potentially serious, which it could be, I'd rather act earlier than later. Thank you.

[sexton]

Control+ is the most important key combination for me,if I forget and start squinting my eyes go downhill fast.I also have different glasses for TV,computer and reading.

[DTMark]

I occasionally get things that look exactly like this (minus the road):

This was diagnosed as ocular migraine. There's no headache at all, but acquaintances who suffer from real migraine tell me they see the same thing at the start of an attack, shortly before they get an incapacitating headache.

These didn't start until I was about 40, so I went to my GP. She said they were probably completely harmless, but nonetheless referred me to a brain expert who I saw several months later, and who asked me lots of questions before repeating that there was nothing to worry about.

Do ask your doctor about it if you're worried though: it's much better to have an expert opinion than go about in a state of worry that something horrible's going to happen.

I found a picture that matches mine..

Except there are multiple smaller blurred areas.

[DTMark]

Bossybabe's story isn't the same as mine from last year, but it shares elements in common: vision problems as the symptom of a mini-stroke.

There was a story on the wireless just this morning, recalling an episode where the symptoms and diagnosis were extremely similar to mine. Might be worth a listen to see if it rings any bells?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07hj59r

My story blogged: https://bahumbug.wordpress.com/2015/04/03/der-prozess/ .

Thanks. Will check that out later.

[Bossybabe]

Not at all, I thank you for your forthrightness.

I am concerned that there is something more to this.

"Just a little long-sighted, you need glasses for close work, it's quite normal for your age".

But they don't help.

Then the prescription changes quite a bit in just 9 months.

All the secondary causes are brain related - tumours, bleeds and so on. Mind you it started nearly a year ago.

Doctor did check blood pressure and pulse, both within normal limits.

I don't see shapes as such. Imagine that as you look at this screen, you have to move your head left and right slightly to follow the text because it looks like there are gaps. One of my eyes is worse than the other confirmed by both sets of prescriptions.

The aura was mostly on the left hand side last time, I thought to close each eye in turn to test this out.

I should be able to get to see the private GP on Tuesday at the latest.

It may be nothing serious, but if it is potentially serious, which it could be, I'd rather act earlier than later. Thank you.

You're welcome. Mine are only ever in one eye - the left. It was a right brain stroke. They start with not being able to see properly out of my left eye, like some of what I@m looking at is obscured. That normally resolves into the 'sparkles' within five or ten minutes. Bear in mind that I had the stroke when I was just 50. Perhaps you'll get referred to an Ophthalmologist or neurologist - or both. Take care.

[porca misèria]

Come to think of it, you say your problem has been steady over several months. FWIW, that doesn't sound much like anything in the stroke family to me.

But that's speaking from complete ignorance of matters medical. Better to follow up with the quack, if you can get past the gatekeepers.

[dgul]

Your prescription change doesn't make sense. Get a second opinion.

Aura are in the brain and not really related to eyesight (even though it is visual). It is almost certainly just 'one of those things' but you probably should get it investigated. Make sure the GP knows it has been a recent change.

Often people have triggers for aura -> migraine; you could think about what has happened to you in the time immediately before getting the migraine. Food (esp. chocolate/cheese) seems common (abstain) as does bright lights (decent pair of full frame sunglasses, < 10% transmission). Stress also, but not so much you can easily do about that.

[Battenberg]

I'm only 43..As it is now: twice in the last couple of weeks I've had to stop work by lunchtime and have a lie down to stave off a full-on migraine.What's bugging me is the way in which some of the - have become + in the prescription. It seems "hit and miss"."Is that clearer... or that?""Can you go back. I hadn't focused on the last one.".. again and again. I used to go on here in the evenings quite often. I don't do that now - only occasionally, just the normal 10 - 5 for work.But even on Monday morning my eyes can be weeping and really fatigued after two days away. They took photos of the eyes. Nothing abnormal found there or in the examination where a light gets shone and he has a look around. Doctor didn't find anything either. Might be an idea..

Are you on any medication that could be effecting you? I was on tablets for my bladder a few years back and I came off it because it was blurring my vision.

[MrPin]

Are you on any medication that could be effecting you? I was on tablets for my bladder a few years back and I came off it because it was blurring my vision.

Is that because you stood on your head and urinated in your eyes?

[Battenberg]

Is that because you stood on your head and urinated in your eyes?

I'm afraid water sports aren't my thing.

[sleepwello'nights]

I found a picture that matches mine..

Except there are multiple smaller blurred areas.

During a routine two yearly visit to an optician I was given a test to check peripheral vision. I can't find the article I read at the time but as I recall the brain compensates for loss of impulses from light sensitive nerve cells by extrapolating from adjoining nerve cells to complete what is being seen. Is it possible that the blurred area is related to that condition?