I flew from LA to PA and back over the weekend for a wedding and my eyes aren't happy about it. Things were already getting worse and now I'm really really worried.
How do I know that it's Lyme causing my eye problems? My eyes look normal when they do a dilated exam and my MRI last spring was normal but the problems are slowly getting worse. It has now spread to what used to be my "good" eye (it spread before the air travel).
I have what I can only describe as permanent "spots" (NOT floaters, these are like big splotches) in various places around the edge of my field of vision. Used to be just my left eye but now I've developed one in the right.
I also have pain around my eye, in the socket, like a headache in my eyes that comes and goes.
I am so scared of going blind. No one seems to think it will come to that ultimately but I can't help but be really frightened.
How do I know it's Lyme causing this and not something else?
I am going on doxy tomorrow (I have been untreated for a long time, only had 2 months of biaxin last spring), and I'm also getting the spiro stat test done tomorrow since I've never been tested for co's. I am igenex positive for lyme though, and everyone in my family has had it.
I'm just scared that it's not the lyme causing the eye problems, or if it is, that it's irreversible. Could this just be some weird inflammatory symptom that will resolve with treatment??
This is basically just a plea for support or insight right now since I am really fretting about my eyesight.
TIA.
-------------------- Symptoms since age 4 IGM positive Western Blot (Bb) PCR positive Spiro Stat (Anaplasma) Suspect babs and bart Posts: 226 | From Currently in Los Angeles, originally from Malvern, PA. | Registered: Feb 2010
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its hard not to be scared, but if its any consolation at all to you, when i was untreated i could barely see out of my right eye at all. the left was blurry too, but nowhere near as bad. I had black spots on the bottom of my vision (like when looking down) but it all went away when i treated lyme.
I think the only way to know its the Lyme, is to treat and see what happens. Its good you had a clear MRI, and its good your Eye doctor doesnt think its going to be an issue. If you could find a Lyme Literate EYE doctor, that might be beneficial to you.
Also, just so you know, they HAVE found a cure for blindness! I dont know much about it, but i do know they have successfully given vision back to lots of people who were totally blind. So if you DID go blind (which i doubt! dont worry!) it may not be permanent!
Everyone tends to worry too much about what might happen they forget to enjoy the little things and the fact that you are NOT blind, so dont fret.
I hope you feel better, and i hope you get some treatment! Good luck!!
-------------------- A tiny bug no bigger than a pimple on your butt can change your life. Posts: 101 | From Southern NJ | Registered: Oct 2009
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gwb
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7273
posted
Yes, I've experienced this and it frightened me too. Went to three top eye specialists just to make sure everything was OK. All they came up with is "dry eyes". I take Refresh Lubricant Eye Drops" which are individually packed in tubes and preservative free.
Robin123 will probably show up here soon and tell you that Mangosteen Juice helped her with her eye problems. It's definitely worth trying.
I still get blurry eyes from time to time, but overall, the drops help me. Toxins moving around can cause this too. By the way, are you on a good detox program? That could help you a lot.
I do bath detoxes and find them to help me in many different ways, including the blurry eyes. I encourage you to look up the detox bath recipe here with hydrogen peroxide and epsom salts.
It will pass, but if at any time you feel something is really wrong, see an eye specialist just to be safe. Maybe someone can refer you to a Lyme literate eye doctor in your area. Ask around.
Hope things get better for you soon! Keep us posted.
Thank you both so much for what you wrote. You have no idea how comforting it is to me.
I'm taking another trip out to PA in May and I made an appt to see Dr. S (LL neuro-oph) while I'm out there. So hopefully that will yield some results.
I also forked over $900 today for the Spirostat lyme & co panel. Yikes. I'll have those results in a couple of weeks.
Toboein, the black spots at the bottom of your vision sounds a little similar to what I have -- they're like blackish/grayish/shimmery circular splotches that show up around the edge of my visual field when I blink. If I keep my eyes open in a neutral position, I don't see them. Really weird.
Anyway thanks again to both of you for your replies, you helped me to avoid plummeting into full-on panic mode.
I guess I'll just continue to watch and wait and hope that this doxy does something for me.
-------------------- Symptoms since age 4 IGM positive Western Blot (Bb) PCR positive Spiro Stat (Anaplasma) Suspect babs and bart Posts: 226 | From Currently in Los Angeles, originally from Malvern, PA. | Registered: Feb 2010
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