My eyesight is going bad very fast

Hi all!

Has anyone noticed eye sight changes? I'm not sure if it's due to fibro or not (but I suspect it is) I had my eysight checked less then a year ago and got a new prescription for my glasses. But over the last couple months my eyesight is very bad and I can't even see with my the glasses I have. (I could up until recently). Things seem to be getting "darker"-if that makes sense. And my eyes are having a really hard time adjusting to the dark. I went outside the other night and I couldn't see out of one of my right eye very well. It's as if my center vision was gone but I had periphreal vision. My friend shined a flashlight and I was fine. It's really bizarre! I don't know if I need to go to an eye doctor or if it's part of fibro. Anyone else dealing with this?

Thanks for your help!

Well, yes, i got a new prescription 2 years ago and already seem to need a new one. Night-time is especially bad for me, although twi-light is even worse. I really do think it's due to fibro.

That being said, what you're experiencing sounds like macular degeneration, of which there are two types, wet and dry. Here's a link to it: http://health.yahoo.net/adamcontent/macular-degeneration/2#symptoms

Yes, I definitely think you need to see an eye doctor ASAP in case it is macular degeneration. Please let us know how you make out!

Its suzyq last April I had difficulty reading at church two seoerate icassions the ladies hosted the Eastern Iowa Presbyterian Spring Workshop it was hard to read in rbe sancturary but it was.t light outside it was dark and I wasn't under a light the lady leading the project had to read my Bible verse a.d then at the ladies monthly meeting it was also hard to read because of the glare some of the ladies were concerned about it. but I just had my eyes examine.ed sbd said they were fine maybe fibro or not someone who sees the eye Dr this year can ask about it and report back to the group

I had my eyes checked in june of 2011 and have had my lenses adjusted twice, (I wear trifocals w/o the lines). In March I was diagnosed with Glaucoma, and now I have noted that I am continually removing and replacing my glasses. I can't see with them and I can't see without them.

I think it is a side effect of both fibro and SLE for me or even the meds I am on for the treatment of both conditions.

I just had my eyes tested and the optometrist said that they hadn't changed but they have. I get prisms on them which the specialist said is atypical migraines but they also go all blurry to where I can't even read the screen of my laptop. i have just had to assume if the script hasn't changed it must just be my illness. I have been checked for glaucoma and macular degeneration and it is neither of them. Hope they improve for you.

Caroline xx

Hi!!

I've never had eyesight problems but since having fibro I often have days when everything is hazy, and when I was on Gabapentin before, my eyesight would go really blurry. Also when my pain is really bad it affects my eyes too.

I'm having lots of weird problems with my eyes like not being able to keep them open especially when I'm driving. Light sensitivity and raw eye feeling. I've been checked thoroughly but short of dry eye and old age, they found nothing remarkable. I have all but had to quit driving...and when I do drive, I have to hold one eye open with my fingers so I can see. Funny but not funny. Nobody wants to ride with me! can you blame them?

Hi its suzyq I googled does Fibromyalgia affect your eyesight I reached a website the Fibro.yalgia Association. UK. That said yes it does that solves that question you'll have to go to the website tva ks everyone I learned something new

Petunia Girl,

Hi, do you have AMD Macular degeneration, yourself? My husband has glaucoma, and he just got a referral today from his Opthamologist to go to see a Retina Specialist. I'm trying not to speculate, but fear it's the AMD too. He doesn't have the fibro, just me.

No, I do not but I worked in a nursing home and a lot of people there had it, which is why I thought of it as a possibility. I really hope that's not what your husband is going thru. My thoughts and prayers are with both pf you. Please keep me posted.

Wow, that's a very interesting suggestion and something you wouldn't expect. I hope this helps some folks.

Yeah, me too, minus the glaucoma. Two years ago I couldn't see in the dark while driving AT ALL which was a new experience for me, so I got new glasses, which helped. Two years later, I'm getting back to square one quickly - can't see at night while driving. Think another new lens prescription is in order. And like you, I am constantly pulling the glasses on and off, on and off. Can't see to read a computer very well or see things in display cases. I really think it's fibro related because my eyesight stayed the same for years and years. Of course, it could be middle age, too.

Caroline, did you recently change to progressive lenses? I had that same experience when I tried wearing them. Just a thought if you've changed your lenses recently.

I started having problems with my vision apprx 4 years ago ('before' I was diagnosed with FM). I had worn contacts for many years with no problems at all, then I started getting 'gunk' (sorta of like pus) in my eyes and what I'd call 'visual disturbances'. I saw my Dr. who referred me to an eye specialist..the specialist said I had Blepharitis which I knew was the wrong diagnosis b/c I know 2 people with this condition & my condition wasn't remotely like theirs. I stopped wearing my contacts and got prescribed with new glasses which helped a bit for apprx a year. Then my eyes started getting really really dry & often puffy PLUS even more visual problems. Back to the eye specialist who said he didn't know what the problem was. I could go on and on BUT the short version is that I have similar problems that you describe. Things seem to be getting darker (sometimes) so I do NOT feel comfortable to drive at night....and yet bright sunshine bothers my eyes too. For reading...I often have to close one eye to get visual acuity yet the eye Dr. insists there is nothing wrong my prescription.

FINALLY after getting diagnosed with Fibromyalgia..'my' personal Dr. tells me that my eye problems are b/c of the Fibro. I now have to use eyedrops constantly for the dry eyes and just try to deal with the visual disturbances.

BTW...I can no longer wear any eye makeup at all without the 'gunk' coming back which wreaks even more havoc with my vision.

I certainly would see an eye Dr. if I were you though...we are not all the same as I'm sure you are aware of.

Good luck to you,

Geranium

Geranium here again...I forgot to add that my eye problems cannot be the result of any meds B/C - I cannot tolerate any of the meds I've tried for the FM. I have even developed a sensitivity to OTC's...so am in angst a great deal of the time.

Fibro aches/pains, chronic fatigue, dizziness, etc.....PLUS the vision problems.

FM sucks!!

OMG, Geranium! What a nightmare! I'm sorry that you have to live without meds. I will curse this illness YET AGAIN in your honor.

Hi

My eyesight went really blurry in my right eye and I blame it on Lyrica. I had no problem until I took that and as soon as I stopped, my sight came back a little. I went for a checkuo on my eyes and the dr said I have a cataract. I am too young to have one in just one eye, its highly unusual, so I think I am going to get a second opinion. Until then, I dont drive at night. hope this helped.

Dee

Thanks Petunia.....let's curse it for ALL us FM folks. A Fibro friend phoned me an hr ago and all she did was sob into the phone. She is like me....cannot tolerate any meds either & she HAS to work, denied disability & no other means of financial assistance. Her eyes are driving her nutso too...and 'again'...can't blame it on meds.

I will share with you that I've been through hell re: bad car accident (rear-ended 5 times by a big truck),

a badly botched back surgery that resulted in me put on life support for quite some time and other 'stuff'.

These a/m incidents have proved to be minimal compared to the dreaded FM and all that goes with it.

Curse the FM..:(

Okay. Here's something I was told years ago by someone who got disability: You can be approved for disability easier if you have a mental disorder. Like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. And heck, we all have that from this illness, no doubt. I'm willing to bet your friend does too and it's probably interfering with her ability to work.

It's even more problematic when you have fibro PLUS PTSD...and I would definitely be sure to tell the disability people about that end of things.

The government's disability site gives guidelines on disability re: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. They can explain the ins and outs of it far better than I.

Hey, I'm sorry ariestlt. I know how that goes. I've considered filing under it myself. I think our society is pretty punitive to people with disabilities and I just can't understand the thinking. If you're crippled from arthritis or non-stop pain, how can you work?

I hope this helps some of you, including you, ariestlt.