LymeNet Flash: Vision Problems

This is topic Vision Problems in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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https://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/1/37163

Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :

I'm a very newly dx and treated Lyme patient.

I've noticed that recently, my vision has become cloudy, especially when I wear my contacts. And I have floaters pretty frequently now.

I'd read visual anomalies were symptomatic of Lyme, but I'm wondering whether these conditions get better or if I need to find a specialist.

Thanks for any help or information!

Andie

Posted by JimMet (Member # 7787) on :

I'm an optometric physician with Lyme.
From my reading about Lyme, I wouldn't rule out anything. But first I'd want to know your age. There's no reason why your vision should be cloudier with your contacts than with your glasses unless your eyes are dry, you're wearing your contacts too many hours per day, the contacts are old and therefore full of deposits, or your tear production is dropping from the aging process. The average age in this country to discontinue contact lens wear is 38 to 39 because of dry eye problems. The way you use your eyes is also significant. Dry eye problems are worse if you spend a great deal of time on a computer or doing other close activities. Consequently, you're trying to ingest information and you don't blink as often, drying your eyes and your contacts. If you see clearly when you first put in your contacts--while they are still wet--then your vision drops after a few minutes or few hours (tear production drops toward the end of the day), then you have dry eyes.

Most people wearing contacts are myopic. Myopes (nearsighted people) have more floaters than the rest of the population, and floaters increase with age regardless of refractive condition. I've read that Lyme can cause floaters, but I don't know why or how these are caused by Lyme in particular.

If none of the above explanations apply, certainly see your eye doctor.

I hope this helps.

Posted by lymeinhell (Member # 4622) on :

The floaters and light sensitivity should pass with time. I think I wore my sunglasses and lived like a mole all the time for about 6 months.

I know my vision typically got very blurry by night time every day, and LLMD said it was from tired muscles. A drop of peppermint oil placed on the forehead above each eye helps refresh the muscles.

But cloudy vision makes me wonder if you should go get your eyes checked. Maybe you have dry eyes?

------------------
Julie G.
___________
lymeinhell

Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :

Thanks for your help, Jim and Lyme!

In answer to your question, Jim, I've just had a birthday...and my current age really gives me pause.

Suffice it to say I'm in my 50s. And, yes, I spend quite a bit of time each day on the computer.

Lyme, as I read your post, I think blurry would be a more accurate description than cloudy (thanks!) and as you said, this frequently happens more at night than first thing in the morning.

Dr. Jim, are there any drops you'd recommend for dry eyes?

I'm glad to hear the floaters dissipate or disappear in time. They too are more frequent at night.

Thanks again to you both!

Andie

Posted by mlkeen (Member # 1260) on :

Hi Jim and Welcome to lymenet-

You will be very popular. So many of us have vision problems that are certainly aggrivated by lyme.

I went from 20/20 a couple of years ago to needing +2 on the computer and more for reading a book. My llmd says vision should improve some after awhile but it just gets worse. However, my mom started wearing glasses in her 40's too. I'm starting to accept that part is in my genes.

Once again welcome-

Mel

Posted by lesley1954 (Member # 7626) on :

My 14-year-old daughter was recently dx with Lyme. She has many visual disturbances. The one she complains about the most is seeing millions of white spots 24/7; it's especially bad in the dark. She had a consultation with a LLMD neuro-ophthalmologist who said a number of his Lyme patients have reported similar symptoms. He referred to what she sees as "Lyme floaters" and said they were different than what most people mean when they say they have floaters. He also recommended that she try using Systene eye drops because many Lyme patients have dry eyes. Her eyes check out fine so her visual problems are clearly neurological. She's been on IV Rocephin for 2 weeks now; no improvement yet, but I suspect it's too early. By the way, this neuro-ophthal was the first person to validate the visual problems she is having. The dozen or so other doctors we have seen since they started last winter either shrugged their shoulders or told her she was simply being hypervigilant -- seeing things that everyone else can see if they try hard enough. I would highly recommend this doctor if anyone is looking for a LLMD neuro-ophth. He is in Lancaster, PA.
Lesley

Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :

Hi All
this is how its been for me-
I got lyme 20 yrs ago
Vision has been out of focue
most of the time--
5 years ago I started getting
about 15 floaters each eye-
Was very hard to see--

2 years ago
I started taking doxi
seamed to make vision blurrier
for 8 months or so--

about 1 year ago froaters started
going away--fairly fast--

Now floaters 95% gone

Vision is now a little sharper too-

Lyme seams to mess with whole body--
and I do think ABX can effect vision
in good and bad ways---Jay--

Posted by lymemomtooo (Member # 5396) on :

Lesley knows the great disease specialist in Lancaster..I strongly recommend him too..

Posted by JimMet (Member # 7787) on :

Andie,

The best artificial tear is Refresh Liquigel or Genteal Gel. I noticed someone here mentioned Systane. It's the best drop. BUT I tell my patients to use a gel. It's thicker and lasts longer than drops. Most artificial tears will damage the eye over time. The preservatives become toxic to the cornea. But the preservative in Liquigel and Genteal Gel is mild and I use Liquigel myself as often as needed. It's much cheaper than the non-preserved tears you'll find so many of on the drug store shelf.

Long before I had Lyme I had dry eyes. Most people develop dry eye after age 40, and it worsens with age. And reading glasses or bifocals are a fact of life at some point just after that age. I tell my patients that their near vision will deteriorate rapidly between the ages of 40 and 55, with the fastest changes occurring between 45 and 50.

Most of the complaints I've read from Lyme patients on this board probably have nothing whatsoever to do with Lyme, but are rather normal age-related problems. Dry eye, deteriorating vision--esp. at near--and floaters all worsen with age.

By the way, I probably won't visit this board very often. I mention this so that no one in the future will think I've snubbed them if I don't respond to a question.

I hope the above helps someone.

Posted by JimMet (Member # 7787) on :

Andie,

One more thing. I once read a journal article stating that only 3% to 4% of the population could wear contacts after the age of 44 because of dry eyes. I had to quit myself at age 35, and I didn't have LD then. If you can wear contacts at all at your age, you're way ahead of the crowd.

Good luck!

Posted by johnnyb (Member # 7645) on :

Andie,

I have blurry vision that comes and goes, as well as "shaking" peripheral vision. ABX seems to help lessen these problems.

Hope things are going well with Dr. E.

- JB

Posted by Andie333 (Member # 7370) on :

Jim,

I'm so grateful for your help and information; thanks very much. I'll get the gel tomorrow. Not sure if you'll be posting again (or how quickly) but I just wonder if you can use this and still wear contacts.

I'm still doing well with contacts, but I have noticed I've cut down on the amt. of time I wear them each day (although I was in NY last weekend and ended up wearing them for about 9 hours).

Johnny, thanks so much for asking about how I am. Three months into abx now. I'm still really happy that of all the LLMDs in this area, I picked Dr. E. Knowledgable and really concerned. that's a nice combination for this awful thicket.

I've had two major herxes where I've become completely paralyzed. Nothing else has been as bad as that. Dr. E strongly recommended foot pads, and I think they've worked. Overall, I am better. More "good" days in the week than before, and a wider window on those days.

How are you?

Thanks so much for all the help, everyone!

Andie

Still, there are too many times I end up completely bedridden. Awful disease!

Posted by JimMet (Member # 7787) on :

Andie,

Yes, you can use Refresh Liquigel with your contacts. But you can't use other Refresh products with them. I don't know about the Genteal Gel, though. So, I'd stick with the Liquigel.

Good luck!

Posted by millymollymandy (Member # 7703) on :

Hi,
I've had problems with my eyes and increased floaters for several years now. They are worse first thing in the morning and at about 6pm.

When I first open my eyes in the morning I can't see anything but a cloudy blur and I literally have to clear the stuff out of my eyes with my finger, it's a sort of clear to white disharge.

The floaters are a variety of shapes- I get what look like segmented strings, I have a dark spot in the vision of my left eye and sometimes I get what look like millions of little white light things jumping around and a sort of heat haze vision.

Had eyes tested recently and apparently everything is fine

The ONLY time that all these symptoms stopped was when I had a general anaesthetic for a routine op...

Posted by Bill ATL (Member # 7817) on :

Andie...

Eye problems were one of my first symptoms. I wore contacts for 20 years without any major issues, then one day it just seemed like my eyes started reacting against my contacts. It wasn't a prescription issue...that remains the same today. It just seemed like an auto-immune response against my contacts. The info that Jim provided is new to me. I didn't know that there was an average age at which contacts usually can't be worn past. I am 37, and am on a PC all day @ work, so I think I may have hit that point.

Jim I hope you read this...I would have emailed directly, but there was no link/ability to. I posted recently on this board about having the Lasik procedure done. All of the responses from Lymies that have had this done were positive and they had no big issues, and most said that it was the best thing they had ever done for themselves. Do you agree? Any feedback would be appreciated!

Thx All

Posted by duke77 (Member # 5051) on :

I too am a long time contact wearer. I never had problems and have worn the extended wear contacts 2 weeks at a time. 2 years ago (shortly after my Lyme symptoms got bad enough for me to diagnosis and seek treatment) my eyes especially the left eye were giving me fits and since then I no longer can wear contacts. I am 35 and do work in front of a pc but I believe it is the related to the Lyme somehow. It does make sense though you don't see many people over 45 wearing contacts or atleast I don't.

Posted by bg (Member # 46416) on :

There were so many NEW folks on here, I want to welcome you all, and especially Dr. Jim....thanks for your eye expertise!

Please see the below comments about having SHORTER 6-8 line paragraphs...thanks!

Welcome to this 24/7 educational & support group board, www.lymenet.org !
Here's TREEPATROL's and TINCUP'S combination newbie links.
http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/029917.html

Print off the links then check them off as you read as you could spend several months reading all of this. Treepatrol constantly adds new links as they become available from the members here.

print & read Dr. B's (a lyme literate MD) info first; you will come back to this often.

Also, see Cheryl's extensive web sites on: LD DIAGNOSIS, SYMPTOMS, & TREATMENT ... wonderful!
http://www.lymeinfo.net/lymediseasetreatment.html

Some guidelines from Betty/others on using this message board:

* Do NOT use all caps when posting; it's hard on our eyes. But I know one of our members has macular degeneration, and all caps is what she can see & read so exceptions like this are acceptable for good reasons.

* We chronic, late-stage lymies can NOT read long paragraphs. So please limit your paragraphs to 6-8 lines max of text and double space between paragraphs.

* You can EDIT your text comments anytime. You can NOT edit your subject line so please make it as specific as possible instead of ``help, question'' etc. in order to have more readers/replies in trying to assist you. There are between 30-40 NEW/replies to post daily so we can't read all the posts on our limited time here...thanks for understanding.

* If you use the ``quote'' icon, please DELETE [B] bold at the beginning & ending of the quote. This makes it easier on our chronic, late-stage lyme eyes.

* To just reply without quoting, go to the top or bottom of screen in the black & white area to reply or post a new topic. Many of us couldn't see it when we 1st started posting. Thank you for helping us all out!
*
* LYME SYMPTOMS - http://www.lyme.org/otherdis/ld_symptoms.html
Bettyg, Iowa