posted
Anyone have any experience with Lyme affecting their eyes? I would appreciate any info available. I was diagnosed with AMD a few years ago, which I know is age related, but in the year that I have been treated for Lyme it seems to be getting worse. Could be a coincidence or the Lyme buggers changing to a new form to beat the antibiotics. Anyone have some feedback?
-------------------- DottieD Posts: 6 | From Tallahassee, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
Might want to try the search program here. I've seen posts about eyes before.
My eyes do this little thing where one will be out of focus for awhile and then a few hours later be fine. Usually the other one will then be out of focus for awhile. It is sometimes worse then other times. Sometimes I don't have any problems with my eyes at all.
This is the very first symptom that I sought help for. I had thought my contacts needed to be updated because it would happen for a few days and then go back to normal. Sometimes I even assumed I had put the wrong contact in the wrong eye. Went to the eye doctor and my prescription had not changed. He asked some questions. I told him about the "pin pricks" I was getting mostly in my face. He ran some tests. My optic nerve was fine so he suggested I see my primary physcian. She of course sent me to a neurologist who didn't know anything. I gave up and two years later had many other symptoms - gastrointestinal along with the brain fog. I was listening to a good friend talk about her family and lyme and a light bulb went on. Sure enough, it was lyme. So, the eyes can be effected. I think you will get lots of stories from lymies with eye problems. Your not alone.
Posts: 547 | From Maryland | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Lots of us have had eye problems! I get the "one eye blurry for a while" thing, even now. I have also had many and varied neuro visual symptoms.
The mainstream literature points to eye manifestations of lyme as being rare, but the more progressive literature indicates it is not so rare at all -- macular degeneration is sometimes a symptom, iritis/uveitis is definitely a lyme symptom, optic neuritis, the list goes on and on and on.....
-------------------- "Looks like freedom but it feels like death.. It's something in between, I guess"
Leonard Cohen, from the song "Closing Time" Posts: 822 | From California | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
i am getting blurry vision and periodically i will get floaters and see things, like odd shapes or something.
will this get better with antibiotics or are my eyes are already damaged?
bit in jun 05, treatment started in nov.
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riversinger
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4851
posted
I have some optic nerve damage due to tick borne infections. When I saw the LL neuro-opthmalogist who found the problem, he told me that he sees Bartonella and Babesia as the main culprits when there are issues with the eyes.
Sure enough, heavy duty treatment for Bartonella has stopped the progression of damage. I know Lyme can also cause problems, but if you are not finding Lyme treatment is stopping the progression of your eye trouble, you might check into co-infections. I was tested many times for co-infections, but it wasn't till AFTER starting treatment for Bartonella that I finally tested positive.
Andie333
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7370
posted
I have floaters regularly -- grey floating objects that drift through my line of vision. They're particularly bad when I'm reading or trying to really focus on something.
If I remember, there's a Lyme opthamologist in this region; I hope to be able to make an appointment with him.
Andie
Posts: 2549 | From never never land | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Jadedemolush: WOW... yes!
I had intense vision problems.
Dim vision, floaters, blurry, halo's, etc.
Mine did get better with treatment, my vision is at 95% of what it once was.
Nite driving again for me... wahoo!
Get better soon.
That is really promising. I have those problems too. Blurry, floaters, glare, halo's, light sensitivity and I think I might have nystagmus. How long did it take for them to get away, and with what treatment? I've been on Oxytetracycline for 6 weeks, noticed my vision was slightly worse during the first 3-4 weeks, but it seems a little better yesterday. I had them checked out by an eye specialist last week, he said they looked "healthy" - he couldn't even see any floaters and I have loads! He took a picture of my optic nerve, etc, and showed me on the screen - he said it looks very healthy to him and nothing to worry about. It's good to have other things ruled out, I just pray to god my vision problems clear up with treatment.
Dry eyes are also a problem for me... and sometimes I get blurry-type vision, only on bright things - It's strange..
Posts: 263 | From UK | Registered: Mar 2006
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The eyes were the last part of a series of infections, sinus, ear, bronchial, that triggered me into a relapse and THEN I got reinfected while gardening!
I had gone for Lasik testing to see if I was a candidate for the procedure. The 3-4 hr testing of drops, things on my eye, etc. etc. wiped me out. On the train ride home, vision was blurry. I knew I was vulnerable to things as I was originally infected w/lyme in '96.
the halos and things I'd never known of started to occur. I went to my llmd after a couple of months of this. Took one mo abx. It cleared up. Then I get reinfected a few months later, so TA DA!
I still wear presc lenses. I just feel that lymies are far more vulnerable in the surgery dept.
My vision is very different. I must remove my glasses and put paper closer to me. Age for me is important factor.
Lyme neuro made my eyes twitch, couldn't focus to read, darting eyes. It's all not fun.
-------------------- Lymester Posts: 519 | From CT | Registered: Jun 2004
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Carol B
Unregistered
posted
Andie said :If I remember, there's a Lyme opthamologist in this region; I hope to be able to make an appointment with him.
me,too me,too- I would love an appointment with an Lyme Opthamologist-so Andie if you get any specifics let me know-hwy maybe we can call for appointments on the same day and go back to back and meet each other face to face !
I carry Natural Tears drops with me all the time-they help for the dry eye. I use them at bedtime, before leaving the house and I carry them in the car.
My eyes are uncomfortable most of the time,painful feels like on the inside-but my opthamologist said something like the eye doesn't have any nerves in them, so it must me radiated pain from somewhere else. All other eye problems she says are related to AGE.Get used to it ! Oh- but she can at least see the floaters.
I also wear sunglasses inside and out, but I am interested in the glasses Betty recommends- I procrastinate so much and cannot multi task so I tend to only deal with what's right in front of me-which is too much.
posted
AMD is age-related MACULAR DEGENERATION of eyes.
It is also HERIDITARY! I'll be the 3rd generation to get this; Dad's was extremely bad and nearly blind at the end of his life.
Dottie, I sent you my newbies links/advise; so my info on NOIR sunglasses is in that for you! Not an expensive adventure for 2 pairs of sunglasses $75 minus disc. they give you for mentioning Marshall Protocol to them. I'm pasting it below for those who never received my links before.
I'D BE LOST WITHOUT BOTH OF MY PAIRS! I depend on them so much. I've had 4 out of state trips to LLMD & allergist; took the DARKEST pair for driving, and it really helped.
Just cover up your arms/hands; I burnt mine bad the 1st trip from the sun.
Betty's ROLL CALL of MEMBERS WITH EXTREME SENSITIVITIVITIES TO LIGHTS, SOUNDS/NOISE, AND CHEMICAL SENSITIVITIES
mention you have lyme and marshall protocol, they will give you 20% off! I'm NOT on MProtocol, but mention it anyway. I was on their new board almost 12 months!
Also they have been kind enough to replace the SCRATCHED LENSES & BROKEN BOWS! How's that for service?
I don't drive often at night, but I can wear NOIR's 901 lenses at night while driving; it creates soft candle lights coming at me...tolerable. NOT to wear in town with all the action of people crossing where they shouldn't be, etc.
]Driving daylight hours, be sure to wear DRIVING GLOVES and a LONG SLEEVE SHIRT/JACKET so you will NOT SUNBURN ! I got burnt bad on my 1st out of state trip to new LLMD in Minn.
I wear my darkest tinted RX sunglasses always with my NOIR wraparounds over them, and my floppy straw hat too; shields my face/side views
NOTE: Wearing sunglasses that BLOCK ULTRA VIOLET LIGHT, help to prevent CATARACTS. Bettyg
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