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Avatar universal

Loss of vision

My girlfriend has a Chiari Malformation and has been seeing doctors for the past seven months (when symptoms started presenting badly), mainly to no avail. One symptom which seems to be getting increasingly worse is her vision. Sometimes she will be able to see fine, other times things start to blur, mainly in her left eye but occasionally in her right as well, to the point that she can't read or even make out objects clearly.

Has anyone else experienced these symptoms? What did your doctors say and/or do about it? She has seen a neuro opthamologist already, supposedly one of the best in the country, but he saw her for only five minutes and sent her away saying there was nothing he could do for her. Any answers are appreciated.
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Avatar universal
Thank you all very much for your responses. I'll talk to her about all of this and see if we can't find something that works, thanks.
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4703993 tn?1379768388
What you explained about you girlfriend - has happened to me many times and is very scary.. All the eye dr told me was everything looked perfect besides I have un-equal pupil size.  Otherwise he said that I may be experiencing eye migraines - which more often then not present without any pain and that is what may be causing my visual disturbance.  This was about 1 year before my Chiari diagnosis, but now that I look back I'm sure it was an early sign because the eye Dr. did tell me to go to a neurologist and get an MRI..
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Avatar universal
I have had the same symptoms (blurry, double vision) for years ... long before my dx. It seems to make sense to go to the source.  My optometrist isn't educated in CM so I don't expect her to have a solution.  I just continue to work with my dr regarding the symptoms.  Besides, our vision is all over the spectrum.  One pair of glasses with a set prescription just won't help.  My annual eye exam is in the spring and I am considering cancelig if I'm  having a bad vision day, I don't want to end up with glasses that are the wrong RX.
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Avatar universal
  I get blurry/cloudy and double vision issues (worse in right eye)  Eye doc says rx is fine in glasses.  (of course!)  I use eye drops to try to help with the blurry vision, but just 'ride out' when double vision is bothersome.  Eye doc suggested to me using warm/moist compress on eyes -- personally I don't handle heat well so I use ice pack, not sure if I should - but ice helps ease things for me.  I've tried to 'pin-point' weather changes, what have you, to my vision but not sure what my trigger is... seems to want to change whenever  
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3060676 tn?1440702944
I've had the same issues with my vision. I have one particular spot in my left eye that blurs from time to time. Mine comes when I have increased pressure in my head. I had it before surgery and even after (but that's when I had ICP). Pressure changes happen to me before storms or when the temperature drops quickly. (and before hurricanes!) It comes and goes for me. I was on Diamox for ICP and a pseudo meningocele 2 months after surgery. I've discontinued it and haven't had issues related to ICP since then. My vision is also better, but so are almost all of my symptoms.
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

CSF pressure is one of the main causes for this issue, but it seems all of us with Chiari deal with it....and I started yrs b4 I got my DX.....I tried glasses and going to the eye Drs all said I did not need glasses but I could not see....they help a little, but when my eyes get bad the glasses do not help.

Many times I find the worst is during a major weather change or precipitation is expected...

I was bad a few days ago, we r having snow today and the temps dropped drastically....my eyes r getting better then they were a few days ago....and I had surgery....

I feel I must have increased CSF pressure at these times...but it is not constant enuff to be considered ICP....

I find sitting in a room that is not well lit and just relaxing is the best thing to do, as it does pass.....

If she has ICP it may take meds like DIAMOX to help reduce the pressure.

Most of the vision issues have been in other threads and u can read those to get more ideas...use the search this community feature and put floaters or vision issues as ur search topic....

Good Luck to u and ur GF.
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1755089 tn?1376053555
Nope the glasse didnt help!
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Avatar universal
I assume the glasses didn't help at all, unfortunately? Just looking for anything that might offer a solution.
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4237959 tn?1356137806
Please let us know ..
  
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1755089 tn?1376053555
I have similar issue mostly when its to dark or the light to bright! I only saw an eye doctor that send me home with ready glasse saying that nothing was wrong! If you find more about your girlfriend vision problem please let us know!
Helpful - 0
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