What is cause of blurred vision?

Hi everyone. I'm new to this. My boyfriend has Hep C and Porphyria Cutanea Tarda. Interferon/Riba treatment was stopped at 24 weeks last november (year ago) and ever since his vision has gotten worse. He says it is blurry, his eyes are red, the light bothers him although it isn't painful he says.  Someone at a University Clinic suggested Sjogrens but he has no dry mouth. Numerous visits to doctors just say its dry eye.  We've been told in the past its blapharus??, that it could be medication??  Long and short, we're really frustrated because he just wants relief.  His actual vision test at the specialists over a year ago was fine the doctor said yet he said if he had to take a vision test to drive he feels he'd fail.  

DOes anyone have any remedies or ideas to share?  We have tried eye drops....heat helps....he uses lidcare wipes...masages eye lids....please help.

[Bill1954]

Boy, if he’s seen an ophthalmologist and they can’t find anything, there’s probably not much anyone in here can offer. Interferon is known to cause vision problems; this is from one of the manufacturer’s product info sheets:

http://tinyurl.com/6anxb5

“Ophthalmologic Disorders: Decrease or loss of vision, retinopathy including macularedema, retinal artery or vein thrombosis, retinal hemorrhages and cotton wool spots, opticneuritis, and papilledema may be induced or aggravated by treatment with peginterferonalfa-2b or other alpha interferons. All patients should receive an eye examination at base-line. Patients with preexisting ophthalmologic disorders (e.g., diabetic or hypertensiveretinopathy) should receive periodic ophthalmologic exams during interferon alpha treatment. Any patient who develops ocular symptoms should receive a prompt and complete eye examination. Peg-interferon alfa-2b treatment should be discontinued in patients that develop new or worsening ophthalmologic disorders”.

Sjogren’s is an autoimmune issue; I’ve heard of HCV patients before that have developed it, but I understood it usually resolves post treatment. I could be wrong about that, however.

Why was his treatment previously discontinued? Has he been treated for his porphyria yet? I understand it often just requires a series of phlebotomy to clear up the iron storage problems.

Welcome to the forum; I wish both of you well in the future—

Bill

[cathy77]

I was diagnosed with Sjogrens whilst on tx, my mouth is dry but not all the time, my eyes get blurry and itchy, I am on a medication called Pilocarphine which stimulates the other glands in the body to produce saliva, it also increases persiperation, anyway it helps a little but the pain from the plaque in my mouth qiuckly calcifies and pulls on my gums. There are different stages of the syndrome and can be related to Ra, mine has progressed and there is no cure however here in London they are starting clinical trials which is promising as the condition has been neglected for a long time, but like everyhing else its becoming more common, use artificial tears at night and drink plenty of water     best wishes Cathy77

[CoWriter]

This link has some good pointers on the care of blepharitis.  (You'd be surprised what using baby shampoo instead of soap can do).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blepharitis

Blepharitis is sometimes associated with having rosacea.  If that is the case, then a dermatologist may be able to help him more than an eye doctor.

Last, but not least, I would have him check his blood sugar.  High blood sugar (diabetes) can cause blurry vision.  And the Hepatitis C virus and treatment can both cause diabetes.  

Co

[lalapple]

before i started txing, i went to an eye doc that told me txment could possibly lead to retinal hemorrhage