morning blindness

[josmoe]

O.k., since no one has responded to my question below, a little more information. I am female and in menopause and have night sweats but last night wasn't bad, but could this effect a person's vision up waking in the morning, like because of dehydration or something, cause temporary blindness? I am currently unemployed and without insurance and so am avoiding healthcare -- this is my first time posting here. I called the local hospital and learned there is no ophthalmolgist in town, so I googled the nearest and an eye technician there (over an hour's drive away) suggested my symtoms were normal aging processes and to go to ER if it happens again because there are on-call ophthalmologists at every hospital. Truth is, my vision has been changing quite a bit this past year and it has concerned me but I am assuming it's just aging -- that is until this morning when I woke and saw nothing but darkness. I can always see a little in the dark given a few moments of adjustment but not this morning and there was a light on after-all. Any suggestions? Am I going blind? If I need to see a doc, does it cost less to see an ophthalmologist in private practice (if they'll take me) or go to a clinic in case it's other internal problems or what? Or... wait to see if it happens again?

[josmoe]

Geeze, NOW I have a headache. I could have driven to town during the hour or so it took to make calls. I got the feeling no one wanted to see me -- they seemed to think I should see a physician -- no headache or abnormal drastic changes beyond one episode of blindess resulted in lengthy over the phone sort-of diagnosises -- I was told it could be dry eyes or mucus, to go to ER and get a cat-scan, MRI, to see a nerologist, to get my blood pressure checked... to see a physican because it could be menopausal headaches/hormones. This is another reason why I avoid healthcare. Finally was able to get an appointment at JC Penny of all places -- they have an opthamologist on staff. Hopefully it was just a fluke bugger in the eyes or something.

Thanks again :)

[josmoe]

O.k., I will right away -- I do really value my eyesight and appreciate your advice. Thank much.

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

Yes I would strongly suggest seeing an ophthalmologist.
JCH MD

[josmoe]

Thanks much for your response. I didn't think to try to look at my hand but was surprised yesterday morning to not see anything in the darkness, no outline of furniture or light... nothing. Everything was fine this morning though. Should I make an appointment with an ophthalmologist or wait to see if it happens again? Everything was fine this morning.

I have felt my eyes are going for awhile now -- just a sense ya know, like living in the dark northern climate for years and aging has irreversably changed my eyes.

Thanks for the link to low cost eye care, I'll check it out. If you think I should make an appointment to see an opthalmologist, I will just go ahead and make an appointment for a check up on my own, then if it's something to worry about I'll worry about finding financial assistance.

Thanks and I'm glad this website resource is available.

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

If you wake up and you see no light out of your eye, nothing but blackness, not even a hand in front of your face and that lasts for more than a few seconds it is NOT normal and not due to aging.  You need to see an ophthalmologist but if lasts more than a minute or two you need to go the the ER.

If you have financial difficulties you can go to www.aao.org and look up the EyeCare American which is the American Academy of Ophthalmology's nation wide effort to help provide eyecare to the very poor.

JCH MD