Unexplained Uncorrectable Vision Loss

[shannon578]

I fell on January 1st and sprained my neck, back and right hip. Shortly after the vision in my right eye with my glasses decreased from 20/20 to 20/200 and can only be corrected to 20/80. My opthamologist can not find the cause and the optometrist at the same office would not write the script for new glasses until I saw my neurologist. My neurologist wasn't very helpful & had no idea either. Any suggestions? Should I spend the money to see an optha-neurologist? Or in some cases is there no explanation? Thank you!

[achillea]

Can you find out the *specific* location of your brain bleed?  I ask because the brain has areas dedicated to particular function, and a lesion in any one of them can knock out or alter that function.

[superbandmom]

I'd love to stay in touch with you so we can exchange information as we go to these different doctors!

[superbandmom]

OMG!! When I read your description of what was happening to you; I felt like I was reading MY story!!  The only difference was that there was no accident or fall that caused mine.  I've been dealing with this for over a YEAR AND A HALF with 8 different docs stumped!  The last one I went to referred me to a Neuro-Opthamologist and the soonest I can get in is Jan. 8.  I'm SOOOO frustrated because I literally have to shut my one eye to be able to see !!  I have had a lot of medical issues and it seems to have started intermittently since I had a spontaneous brain bleed in 2011.  None of the docs seem to think it's related but I'm not so sure I believe that.  I have a blood disorder that causes me to develop blot clots and have multiple pulmonary emboli in both lungs and multiple DVTs since a knee replacement in 2008.  I was on Coumadin for about 2 years until the brain bleed and so they took me off it and placed a greenfield filter in the vena cava to prevent any clots reaching my heart and can only take baby aspirin daily to slightly thin my blood.  I also have Raynaud's Syndrome and SOME kind of autoimmune disease that still remains undiagnosed  with the exception of Osteoarthritis and Fibromyalgia.  I believe they are all connected and would think SOME kind of doctor could come up with an answer.  My symptoms also have flares; some for days, some for months at a time.  I'm 54 and feel like I'm living in a 75 year old body.  So frustrating!  Hopefully someone out there can help me too!

[shannon578]

Now I am really confused. My optomitrist wants to do a free refraction tomorrow, since both he & the ophthamologist (retina specialist) in his office do not believe that the cataract is the explanation for my sudden loss of vision. I guess it is because the cataracts in both eyes are at about the same degree of severity and the left eye has had no loss of vision in the past year. What now?

[shannon578]

No one is willing to give me an opinion. Many doctors don't want to get involved with accidents (slip & falls, auto, workers comp, etc). I had no sign of a cataract at my last exam and my vision has always been correctable to 20/20. Since the accident I've had this vision problem & an increase and change in my headaches.  

[JackM829]

Did the fall cause the cataract?

[shannon578]

To add to my post above. The vision in my right eye with glasses on 2/6 was 20/175, on 3/6 it was 20/200 and yesterday 3/18 it was 20/250. Correctable vision on the same dates was 20/60, 20/80 & 20/100

[shannon578]

Hi.
I went to the Nuero-Opthamologist who took 2 minutes to look at my eye & said cataract & recommended surgery. My opthamologist had already mentioned cataracts in both eyes that were simaliar in size & said that did not explain the sudden loss of vision and pain in my right eye. The Nuero-Opthamologist said that I would still need glasses as the surgery would only correct the right eye to 20/40 or 20/60. (he didn't say whether glasses would get the vision to 20/20 or whether they were just for reading). So, I don't know whether to get another opinion, get glasses to correct to 20/80 or have surgery. Thanks

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Best of luck and to close out this discussion string, pease post the eventual findings that account for your vision loss.

JCH MD

[shannon578]

Thank  you!  Actually, I was extremely lucky The first one I called who is about 45 miles away had an opening on Monday afternoon due to a cancellation. Obviously they wanted to know why I wanted an Optho-Neurologist instead of one of their other eye doctors, but once I explained, I was able to book the appointment. I am getting all my medical info together this weekend.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Everyone employed or unemployed or retired needs to save and retain as much vision as possible. Get the appointment set up ASAP most NO are booked a long time ahead of time.
JCH MD

[shannon578]

Thank you!  I have had a MRI & MRA done. which were ordered by my primary care physician who has been very helpful and has offered to send them to a neuro-opthamologist for me. He is concerend as I am unemployed and need my vision for my profession as an accountant.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

No an explanation is definitely needed. You should see a neuro-ophthalmologist Eye MD. Find one at www.geteyesmart.org or ask the ophthalmologist Eye MD to refer you. BE SURE you have your old records and all tests, without them it may need an extra visit.

JCH MD