With all the posts I have made through the years and told everyone not to worry about things, guess I better follow my own advice. Although, some times I KNOW it's hard not to worry . . the old, "easier said, than done".
I am dx'd with Primary Sjogren's, and have high RA numbers.
My mother had glaucoma, and macular degeneration. I think she might have had Sjogren's too, and didn't know it.
I've had the signature dry eyes that accompanies most Sjogren's dx. I've got punctual plugs and use OTC drops. Doctor wanted me to go on Restatis, but it's too expensive even w/insurance and all the $$$ it costs for our families medicines.
Since last Tuesday (15th), I've noticed these "floaters" in my right eye. Annoying, but tolerable. This past Wednesday, they have seem to "kick it up a notch" and there seem to be more of them and they move horizontally as well as vertically. It's hard to describe what they look like. I DON'T have a headache, see lights or have pain.
I have an optho appointment in three weeks.
I called the optho office Wednesday to ask if they thought I should come in before my scheduled appointment and told them what I was experiencing. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, their office was closing in 45 minutes. The lady took my number and said a nurse would call me. Well, they called on my home phone and I was at work. :( She never tried the cell phone number I had also left.
I called back today and the nurse has me coming in on Tuesday to see a retina specialist. So . . . . I will "try" not to worry about this, until/when I have something to worry about. But . . . when it comes to my vision, it's hard not to be concerned.
I'm going to be limiting my computer time until then and see if it helps at all. I seem to notice it more when I'm on the computer, at work (I work with numbers and have to look down and up quite often - and that's when the floaters or whatever they are seem to be quite active and move a lot), driving. or around bright lights.
When I put drops in, it's like my eye is a sponge and just soaking it up.
The nurse did say if anything more develops over the weekend to call as there is a doctor on-call.
I've done some on-line searching and think it might be Vitreous Detachment. I know some of our members have experienced this.
With my Mother's history, I'm just hoping I haven't gotten some genetically passed on eye issues. My optho is keeping a watch for the pressure in my eyes - she's aware of my mother's history.
Please keep a positive thought for me on Tuesday, if ya will. In the meantime . . . I'm going to limit my on-line time this weekend.
Bucky
Confused, you wrote a supportive message that was clear about the appearance (and disappearnce) of "floaters." The only similar thing I've experienced is the auras before a migraine headache.n
Bucky, though I don't have floaters, I, too, have a lot of concern about eye damage and eye problems. I will keep my thoughts on your concerns and wish you well, waiting for your doctor's appointment next week.
I have one as well, and will find out whether the corneal opacity in my right eye has cleared. Well, actually it's a lot better, but not completely cleared up.
It is *so* scary to have something unknown going on with your eyes. Please let us know how your doctor's appointment goes.
For the best possible outcome,
Soycoffee
It really does sound like Vitreous Detachment. I had the same thing happen 4-5 years ago in one eye, and then in the other a year later. The first time it happened, I noticed some of the little light "flashes" when in a dark room and when looking side to side, which means the vitreous is sort of loose and tugging on the retina. It's good you're seeing a retina specialist. Usually, vitreous detachments aren't a problem---they occur as you get older--not a disease, just shrinkage of the vitreous (liquid/gel filled interior of eye). Maybe Sjoggies get it sooner---I don't know.
BUT---if you ever get what my doctor calls "A Rain of Little Black Dots" in your field of vision, go IMMEDIATELY to the emergency room---preferably one that has a retina specialist on call. The little black dots are red blood cells and it means there's some bleeding involved with the detachment, which IS an urgent situation.
So try not the worry, but remember The Little Black Dots warning. And even then, try not to worry.
Calli
i had the vitreous detachment several years ago and had forgotten about it until I read your post. My DIL (the optometrist) diagnosed me and checked me over.
I have the floaters also and have had them since then. I don't have them all the time but when I do get them they always given me a start as I think that I am seeing a mouse run across the floor.
This happens quite often and I always look and then look again cause I know it is my floaters, but one of these times I "just know" that I will for sure have a mouse in the house---and that ain't good.
Hope you can get some relief cause I know that my eyes really bothered me on the computer at first. Got better though. It is worse when I am tired. Good luck. Irish ;D
Hi Bucky,
I get some floaters but nothing like you're experiencing.
I'm glad to hear that you'll be seeing a specialist on Tuesday!
Good luck and please keep us updated, okay?
Take care of yourself -
Patze
Quote from: Bucky on November 25, 2011, 02:15:44 PM
some times I KNOW it's hard not to worry . . the old, "easier said, than done".
I hear ya' on that.
I've got Sjogrens and Glaucoma.
I can't take the glaucoma meds .. have cardiac reactions to them.
You said you have floaters but no lights or headaches.
That's a GOOD sign. Really.
The light flashes are the biggie .. no flashes = good.
I'm lucky to have a great eye doctor. Dr. Lin ...
Wish everyone had one like her.
Quote from: Calli66 on November 25, 2011, 06:44:42 PM
"A Rain of Little Black Dots" in
My entire life I've had what's refered to as 'seeing air'.
I see everything like billions of pixels ... Air pixels everywhere ....
I thought this was normal for everyone ...
I remember being a kid and telling my parents that I could see air.
They said no one see's air. I said .. "but I do".
There is a medical term for it .. can't remember what it is ..
The sjogrens has made the pixels bigger, especially in dim light.
Either that or it's my glaucoma doing it ... but the pixels got bigger with the sjogrens.
People call it 'seeing air'. If you ever hear anyone say something like that,
it's a medical thing that the eye doctor needs to know about. There isn't
anything they can do for it, but it's something that the doctors need to know about.
Hey Bucky!
Hope to hear how your Dr visit went. Tomorrow .... Oh.
Checking back tomorrow.
Kimbo
Yet another symptom to attribute to Sjogrens. YIKES. I have had floaters for a long time. They start out of no where, no pain just a pain in my butt because it makes it hard to concentrate let alone focus "through" them at whatever I'm looking at. How to describe them..hmm.. they look like electrified squiggles or zigzags, almost sparkly like if they were vibrating from having electricity running through them as crazy as that sounds, wiggle worm or germ shaped. Funny.. do any of you guys see auras around lights especially at night? I love road trips but have told everyone I'll drive all day but not at night. Bright headlights make it hard for me to see properly.
Bucky,
Sending lots of positive thoughts your way! :) I know it's concerning when we have something new with our eyes, but hopefully the specialist will find what's going on and it's nothing serious at all.
Please update us as soon as you can.
Sending hugs and a prayer,
Melinda
Looking forward to hearing how the appointent went. Fingers crossed for you. x x x
Hi everyone - thanks for your good thoughts for me today concerning my eye appointment.
Well, as I thought, (and some of you suggested too) - I have Vitreous Detachment.
Quote from: Calli66 on November 25, 2011, 06:44:42 PMUsually, vitreous detachments aren't a problem---they occur as you get older--not a disease, just shrinkage of the vitreous (liquid/gel filled interior of eye). Maybe Sjoggies get it sooner---I don't know. Calli
Yep, one of the exciting things you get as you get older. ::)
There is nothing they do for it, the doctor said they will lessen with time. However, if I notice a drastic increase in them, I am to call their office ASAP.
I hate when they dilate my eyes. I'm not sure if they dilate them more for this particular exam or not (versus the "normal" dilation they do), but they put two drops in each eye. Those bright lights they shine in your eye really hurt my eyes. Ugh!
When I went into the dr. office, it was cloudy out - yay. When I came out, the sun was shining brightly . . . UGH!!
I have my six-month eye appointment with my optho two weeks from today. Yippee, Zippy - they will dilate my eyes AGAIN for her exam. ::)
Thanks again everyone for you well wishes.
Bucky 8)
Thank goodness you were seen quickly and diagnosed. I hope it heals quickly.
Whew Bucky, I'm glad that it wasn't more serious than it is, and I'll keep the old fingers crossed that it doesn't worsen.
Yeah, I hate the numbing drops, they are the worst!
And good luck with the opthamologist in a couple of weeks!
Patze
Bucky,
Thanks for letting us all know what the doctor said about your eye problem. Is it basically "Live with it"? Yet it's good to have the problem clarified.
So far, I've seen four eye doctors without getting those drops! Very different problems, but there's a fifth doctor yet to see on Thursday, and I don't know what he will do to examine my eyes, just *that he will.
Such a pain that you will have to get those drops again in two weeks.
Best,
Soycoffee
Quote from: soycoffee on November 29, 2011, 11:06:57 PMIs it basically "Live with it"?
Unfortunately, yes. ::) I don't know how many times I've jumped thinking I see something (as a spider or bug), when in fact, there is nothing there - just these floater thingys in my field of vision. Of course, just like Sjogren's, the things I see are inside my eye and not visible to anyone else but me. ???
Good luck at your app't. on Thursday, Soycoffee. I hope you get some answers to your situation too.
Bucky
Bucky,
Thanks for your update. I had to research "vitreous detachment" a bit. I'm surprised I didn't know the definition with all the eye issues I've had.
It sounds very common, and something we just want to have our eye docs keep a watch on, but as you say, there's no treatment. I read the "detachment" isn't as scary as it sounds. Just means that more floaters are happening suddenly because a section of the vitreous is pulling away tiny fibers all at once instead of gradually.
I've had floaters for about 10 years. They can be annoying! And yes, the drops they use to dilate can sting and going outside in the sun is brutal. I can never drive myself home, because I can't see.
You did the right thing and had this checked right away. Good luck with the opthamologist appt. in a couple of weeks. ;)
So glad that you are okay. I had a similar experience and it scared me half to death. I had flashes of 'lightening' in my peripheral vision with lots of floaters in the middle. After tests, my opthamologist assured me that it was Vitreous detachment. I had to go for checks every three months twice - then back to the yearly exam. Now, I have to have a special exam to see if I can start plaquenil. I'm hoping I can use this drug and maybe, just maybe begin to feel better. Again, let me tell you how happy I am that you are okay.
Jorja
Bucky,
I didn't see your post until today; thank you for the update! I'm sorry you'll have to deal with the floaters. You already know that I have experienced the same thing in my eyes, and my heart goes out to you. At least it's not a progressive disorder, but it is a frustrating "new normal." You will adjust somewhat when you get used to them so that they won't startle you anymore.
Hugs and sympathy,
Cheryl
soycoffee, I am totally astounded that you have not had your eyes dilated. I go to my optometrist Daughter in law for my eye issues and she will not do a yearly exam without dilating the eyes.
She said that it is the only way to assess and diagnose issues with the eyes. Some of them can be seen without the dilatation but those of us with autoimmune disease or any systemic disease need to have the eyes dilated. Diabetics is another disease that needs to have eyes dilated in order to check the blood vessels in the eyes.
The blood vessels and nerves in the eyes are the things that can show up a lot of eye issues. I hope that you are having someone one dilate your eyes at some time. Just voicing my concern. I have to admit that having my eyes dilated doesn't bother me all that much. Just wear my sunglasses or the ones given to me by the dr office and don't look at the sun. Irish ;D
Dear Bucky,
Some one said that our eyes are our windows to the soul.
So much can be seen there by the trained eye.
I have had horrible floaters for about 25 years, and I'm always flinching away from a bug!
I also have hazy patches that float. But it's like my tinnitus, eventually I"m able to ignore most of it, most of the time.
The funny thing is that the first time something like this appears it seems astounding, and more than a bit scary.
And then you find out that tons of people are walking around with the conditions all the time!
Keep us posted.
Glad you're taking care of yourself.
Hugs
Elaine
Quote from: irish on November 30, 2011, 02:45:56 PM
soycoffee, I am totally astounded that you have not had your eyes dilated. I go to my optometrist Daughter in law for my eye issues and she will not do a yearly exam without dilating the eyes.
Irish ;D
Irish,
Thanks for your conceren.
I've had my eyes dilated in the past, just not in this patch of seeing 5 opthalmologists in 4 months. They've wanted to know about the 7th cranial nerve that gave way to give me Bell's Palsy, and about the dryness of my eye that caused corneal opacity. I think those problems don't need eye dilation. For a general exam it is probably different, but I've been getting emergency care.
Final doc of the five is the one I see tomorrow. I'll try to ask him.
Best,
Soy
Hi, Irish
I didn't get a chance to ask the fifth ophthalmologist about dilatation/dilation, first because he was late, and second because he was irritated that I had been sent on to him (the expert on corneas) when obviously the cornea of my right eye was fine. I had to say, then, "the treatment worked." And he agreed. It turns out that he is one of two doctors who staff the Dry Eye Center close to the Sjögren's Syndrome Center here. I had seen his other half two weeks ago.
So, he was okay, but there was not problem and he was way behind.
Good news is that the cornea of my right eye is in good shape. The not so good news is that I have some double vision -- for which he played the same game as all the other 4 ophthalmologists had done -- by suggesting I go back to see one of the first doctors I had seen, a neuro ophthalmologist (because the double vision involves the third and seventh cranial nerves).
1. So the outcome on the cornea is good.
2. The outcome on the "dilating eyedrops" is uninformative, and
3. I'm not done yet with the ophthalmologists!
Best,
Soycoffee
Quote from: soycoffee on December 03, 2011, 12:19:57 AMGood news is that the cornea of my right eye is in good shape. The not so good news is that I have some double vision
I'm glad to hear that your right eye cornea is OK. Sorry to hear you have some double vision . . . and will have to keep playing the musical optho go-round. :(
I know it must be frustrating to keep being passed from optho to optho - but, please do keep pursuing this as your sight is so precious.
Keep us posted on your optho journey.
Best of luck.
Bucky
Thanks, Bucky
A couple of the more recent docs have noticed that I wear an eye patch, and deduced that I wore it because I see double if I don't wear the patch. So they noticed, but didn't have suggestions for the next step.
I know that the right eye has damage from cranial nerve injuries, both the third and the seventh cranial nerve, the latter being called Bell's Palsy. I also know I can go back to my neuro ophthalmologist, who will giggle and salivate (mild exaggeration, there) at the challenge posed to his fellows in neuro ophthalmology by the combination of
a. a third cranial nerve palsy (injury) with aberrant regeneration, PLUS
b. a seventh cranial nerve palsy (Bell's Palsy) which occurred spontaneously.
It is probably b. that causes the double vision, though if asked, I would have to say that I also had double vision when I first had the third cranial nerve injury.
Reading and writing on the computer with soft colored background, as here, and reading on the computer at the website "dryeyepain.com" are activities that are tolerable, with the eye patch.
I'll go to my neuro ophthalmologist, and make an appointment next week. He'll want to know the outcome of the Bell's Palsy. Last time I absolutely did not stump his fellow. This time, we'll see, though the Bell's will be available in my computer record.
Best,
Soycoffee
soycoffee, Well, I am certainly glad that your cornea is doing well. I am sorry to hear that you had Bell's palsy cause that is such a bummer to get cleared up. Also, sounds like you had another neuro injury/illness, etc in the same nerves with resultant additional problems.
Sorry that you have all this going on and hope they can get you up and running again. The old eye patch is the pits. I have never had to wear one but wouldn't rule it out as my myasthenia could also involve the eyes more down the road. Anything is possible with these darn autoimmune diseases.
Boy, it sounds like you have some good eye docs. I have a Neuro ENT and have had a Right labyrinthectomy with nerve section plus a couple of other issues. I really appreciate his expertise. He was the first one to address my poor balance and loss of hearing. I have to drive a long way to see him but he is the only one I would ever want to operate on me. He is slow and steady!
Hope things are going well for you. Stay warm as the cold air is moving in. Irish ;D
Hi Soycoffee,
I'm glad about your cornea, but I'm sorry to hear about the double vision, that has to be awful for you.
Sending you some
{ { { H U G S } } }
my friend and hoping that the neuro has an answer or two for you.
Take care of yourself -
Patze