Blurry and Double Vision

Question

I posted below, topic was "meds and ejection fraction" so I won't repeat my case history. I'm just wondering how common blurry or double vision was in heart failure. I mainly get this after physical exertion or after having been awake for a long period of time. My cardiologist dismissed it as poor cerebral perfusion due to the heart failure and said it would come and go and there wasn't much I could do about it. You don't hear much talk about this yet my cardiologist said that it was quite common with heart failure. Has anyone else experienced this?

BryceRitt · Answer

I am a 47 yr old male recently diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy with an ejection fraction of 25%.  I was hospitalized in late October of 2019 for SOB and CHF and the echocardiogram revealed the aforementioned Dx.  A few months later I began to have double vision that has persisted to the present.  Just prior to my Dx of heart failure, I saw an optometrist due to difficulty with reading/farsightedness.  I have always been nearsighted.  But this farsightedness was fairly sudden in onset.  I was prescribed a multifocal and began to wear glasses where previously I only wore contacts.  I was told by my optometrist who specializes in diploplia that this recent prescription change and new onset of wearing glasses is unrelated to my diploplia.  My particular diploplia is said to be a cranial nerve VI palsy in which my lateral rectus or abducens  muscle that pulls the eyes outwards is not functioning due to the motor innervation of CNVI failing.  No prior health issues other than my nearsightedness and some unrelated musculoskeletal injuries.  No recent head trauma although my optometrist fixated on a concussion I had at the age of 13, nearly 35 years ago.  The timing seems more than coincidental.  I am still working towards a firm diagnosis of my diploplia.

.john57 · Answer

In answer to your question my symptoms seem to be on a see saw. One day I'll feel almost normal and the next get out of breath walking down to the mailbox. Exercise is said to help but I usually get much worse symptoms after attempting any form of exercise. My doctor said that this is because the exercise aggrivates my arrhythmia and long QT interval. It seems that your between a rock and a hard place because when you exercise you aggrivate your symptoms and if you do nothing you will just physically degenerate even quicker.

Jack54 · Answer

Thanks to both of you so very much. At this point I am very confused. I don't see how my heart could make me feel so bad. All of my muscles are aching, I sleep 10-12 hours a day. No energy. Diagnosed with diastolic failure, but lectured on the difference in DF and diastolic heart failure. I believe that I might be in heart failure already.

John, can you do anything at all without feeling real bad all over afterwards?

Momto3 · Answer

Good luck up in Cleveland!

ireneo · Answer

Good luck to you too Jack. :-)

Jack54 · Answer

I have "poor cerebral perfusion" and diastolic failure. I have blurred vision, confusion, loss of memory when I am tired. I also get sleepy when I drive. This part I cannot understand. I do have first stage macular degereration that my opthmalogist thinks bypass surgery might help. I am leaving Monday for the Cleveland Clinic for this surgery.

You really need to have the ICD. When they do funky things to your heart, they hook up a temporary one......

Good luck,

Jack

ChatterAlly · Answer

I have that alot after being in front of the computer lately. I thought it was just my eyes getting older. Never thought it had anything to do with my heart disease, but now that you bring it up, I suppose it could. Blood supply isn't what it used to be.

Blurry and Double Vision

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