visual issues

[Surruh]

Hi everyone
Sorry for the frequent posts but I'm just full of questions!

Does anyone here have visual disturbances? I haven't heard much about them.

I experience light t.v static and halos and starburst at night comming out of headlights and things of that nature.
I also notice "spots" in my vision..I think floaters. When I look at the sun or a bright light I see yellowish spots for a few seconds when I blink. Do these things sound familair to anyone else? The starbursting and halos popped out of now where with my twitching and tinling.

Also, what other visual symptoms do you guys have if at all?

Thanks!

[ginak]

I have blurred vision and when looking at some colors. I also sometimes experience double vision, but only when looking at bright colors, not specific objects. Sometimes, my vision looks as if I am looking through a heat wave. I went to the opthamologist back in November because I was concerned about optic neuritis, but was told that my eyes were just fine. I have pain in my eyes from time to time, but it doesn't last, but quickly goes away. My eyes are red a lot too. Sometimes I think people think that I am drunk.

[jason80]

Search "visual snow". It tends to be oftentimes accompanied by retinal persistence, starbursting, halos and floaters. Visual snow is not that common though. I've had it close to a year now, and it hasn't changed any. Your brain starts to tune it out over time.

[patsy10]

Don't apologize for posting.  Post as much as you want.  This is what we are all here for.

I have every visual issue that you , gina and jason posted.  I also have had severe eye pain and redness that lasted for months on end.  I have had much improvement with my other symptoms like tingling, twitching etc...from treatment but the eye problems have never gone away with the exception of the pain and redness.  Like jason said, your brain tunes it out over time.

[Surruh]

Thanks for the comments. I'm starting to get used to my visual symptoms because I've had them since October of last year with no changes. I just wanted to see if peope with lyme have constant eye issues that remain. This is the only symptom that seems to be stable. My twitching and tingling come and go with the vertigo.

I'm going to seriously consider getting tested for lyme even though it's probably a long shot since I'm not really an outdoors kinda person. These symptoms are bothersome but not life altering...yet.

I've recently began to notice some neck and shoulder pain..almost like an achyness..anyways thanks again and I'll probably be back again soon!

-sarah

[JackieCalifornia]

Do get tested; I too am not 'very outdoorsy' as the %^&* neurologist said when he refused to test me for Lyme -- but I persuaded him to run the test anyway, since I had recently been in the Northeast in summer.

Backyards, parks, picnics, walking down a sidewalk next to grass, cemeteries, school yards -- all of them are tick heaven:  you don't have to be Woodsy Owl to get Lyme.

The longer you wait, if you have Lyme and coinfections, the harder it is to eradicate.  Please don't wait!  Clearly something is wrong, and the longer you wait, the worse it may be for you.  Don't want to alarm you, but wish someone had told me sooner.

Let us know what you do and how it turns out, okay?

[ott70]

Lots of conjunctivitis for me. Hate it. Used to wear contacts all of the time and I can barely wear them anymore. I have also lost a little bit of vision in my opinion, but my eyes were already crummy in the first place.

Another thing I have noticed, and this might be immune system related, but I have a heck of a time cutting an onion anymore. This was never an issue before but I can barely make it through cutting an onion now. Weird stuff.

[shells17]

I actually just got over a two week problem with severe eye pain. It was really painful and I had occasional floaters in my eye and had even more trouble with light sensitivity. I was worried it was optic neuritis, too, and thought maybe after all this I had MS. I got a head/sinus CT and an eye exam and everything was normal...of course! It sometimes makes me feel like I am crazy! My neurologist ended up putting me on a low dose of lyrica (I have been diagnosed with Fibro and am waiting to have more extensive tests done to rule out Lyme). I don't know if it was the Lyrica or not, but the pain did clear up. However, my eyes are very sensitive when touched - tender- and I still get occassional floaters. I also have red eyes a lot and wake up in the morning with a lot of dried gunk!

[cindy903]

I'm glad you posted this. I think I have had all of this -- waxes and wanes too.

shells17 - I have heard of an eye doctor in pennsyvania that specializes in Lyme. I don't know where you live but he's near philadelphia. I don't have his name, but the Lyme blogger on about can point you in the right direction...I was thinking of going to see him, but I've sort of tried to minimize my road trips for this crappy disease.

[JackieCalifornia]

My ophthalmologist (MD specializing in eyes) is very knowledgable and I'm glad I told him about it.  I've only lately started having eye problems (swelling and redness and dryness), and it's worth seeing an eye dr if you haven't lately, but ask if they 'do' Lyme before you make the appointment.  I can put up with a lot, but messing with my vision is where I draw the line.  Let us know how you do.

[Dont_tick_me_off]

I also suffer from many visual problems myself. Visual Snow is by far the worst as well as light sensitivity/paranoia.

I also have pain that comes and goes and very red eyes. But with treatment my fiance has noticed a MASSIVE difference in his eye colour. They are starting to look healthy.