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Unexplained Blurred Vision

My problem started around six months ago. I'm very nearsighted and wear contact lenses, and I began having short periods where it seemed like my prescription wasn't good enough. Over a week or so it got progressively worse until there were times the words on my computer screen blurred. I thought it would improve if I wore glasses instead of contacts, but the blurring was much worse with my contact lenses. I'm currently living in Korea, so I went to see a number of eye doctors and ultimately an ophthalmology specialist at a university hospital.

The doctors told me I have lattice degeneration, but otherwise healthy eyes. They could not explain my vision problem. The specialist suggested I have dry eyes and prescribed drops that didn't work.

My symptoms are as follows:

1) Vision is perfect for a short time in the morning or after brief periods of time (20 mins or so) with my eyes closed.
2) Vision clears up for short periods of time (an hour or so) if I eat even small amounts of spicy food. Easy to do in Korea, but the effects are only temporary.
3) Eye drops don't help and neither does staying hydrated, so I don't think it's a dry eye problem. Plus... well, my eyes don't feel dry.
4) Level of blurriness varies. Sometimes it's so bad I can't read very large street signs. Sometimes it's just vaguely annoying. It's much worse in low light and artificial light. I spent the weekend outdoors in bright sunlight a couple of months ago and had perfectly clear vision all day long.

One of my friends suggested that sinus pressure could cause blurred vision, and since eating spicy food can relieve sinus pressure, perhaps that's why it's relieving my blurred vision for short periods of time. But I have no other symptoms of sinus pressure, and I never get headaches.

Do any of these symptoms add up to anything? I'm wondering if I need to go to a different kind of doctor, since so far everything I've been told says the problem isn't with my eyes. I have good health insurance and it's relatively inexpensive even to go to specialists here in Korea, but the language barrier can make things difficult. Any advice or suggestions on what I should look into next would be very much appreciated.
4 Responses
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Avatar universal
UPDATE: After returning to the States, I saw an eye doctor who told me that a flax oil supplement, not eye drops, would actually help my eyes, which were indeed dry. I started taking just one gel capsule of flax oil in the evenings and my blurred vision completely cleared up.
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Avatar universal
Hello,

Thank you for your reply.

I think my prescription is fine; it's remained the same for about 5 years now (I'm 30 years old). During the times when my vision is normal, it seems perfect.

Any type of diabetes is unlikely, as it does not run in my family and I am very healthy with regards to diet, weight, and exercise.

Forgive me for asking, but if it is a dry eye problem, why don't eye drops help at all? Is that normal and something to be expected?
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711220 tn?1251891127
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It is most likely a corneal (dry eye) or a lid problem.  Also, you should make sure your prescription in not too strong (you need a cycloplegic refraction.  Any chance of diabetes?

Dr. O.
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Avatar universal
Whoops, I meant to say "my vision was much worse with my glasses than with my contact lenses." That would be important. :)
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