Deteriorating Eyesight

Hi All,

I went for a contact lens check this afternoon. I've had some issues with double vision and reading long distance when wearing contacts. Its only been in the last three or four months; I thought it was to do with the quality of the lenses and to be honest, I couldn't be bothered to get it checked.

Anyhow, the optician said that my vision has significantly deteriorated since my last sight test in July 2009 and she couldn't go any further with the check up because it was pointless until I've had a sight test. I've got one booked for Wednesday but I'm really worried at how bad my sight has got recently. I'm also going to see my GP for a check up this week so obviously I'll talk to him about my worries too. There's a few things that may just be a coincidence but I wondered if anybody else has experienced anything similar. Here are the facts/possible coincidences as I see them:

1. My sight started getting worse in ~September. I also started having more migraines which I attributed to stress.
2. My GP gave me amitriptyline to prevent migraines. I take 20mg at night.
3. I had a urine infection that went to my kidneys in October. The whole painful saga lasted about two months with two courses of anti-biotics. I'm still having trouble with my kidneys now.
4. My astigmatism has significantly increased (basically my eyeballs are more rugby ball shaped than football)

My uncorrected vision is terrible, I can make out colours and blurry shapes but I can't read text at all or see detail. I've heard kidney problems can cause a deterioration in eyesight but Google isn't playing the game with my searches. Any advice or reassurance or experiences would be greatly appreciated :o


P.S. Sorry I always write long rambling posts!

I dont think much of you optician.

A good optician should be able to diagnose a lot from looking at your eyes. Its very possible that your medication is affecting both you eysight and your kidneys and live. Get an urgent appointment with your GP and demand a referral with an Opthalmic Surgeon. You eyesight is too precious to take chances with.

I would go back to your GP. Are the tablet preventing migraines? The medication is more commonly prescribed for depression, I was given them once for migraine and they didn't help at all.

I have experience of several things on your list, firstly short sightedness, this generally does get significantly worse between the ages of 14 and 25, and then can settle for years. I first wore glasses for this only for T.V and school, and then by the age of 22 or so I was wearing glasses or contacts all the time. My eyesight then stablised, but I still had infrequent small changes to my prescription. I am now 46, and most changes are now due to the fact that I am also getting short-sighted (I kinda hoped that they would cancel each other out, but no such luck ;)).

I have been prescribed anti-drepressents in the past for other causes, unfortunately I had side effects that were not identified and I ended up being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, (which after months disappeared within two weeks of coming off the tablets). It is essential that if you have any problems you always go back to your G.P. prescribing is a guessing game, not everyone will react in exactly the same way to medication. For example, the tablets you are on can cause many side effects in some people, and, "If you have a history of seizures, bladder problems, or glaucoma, you should take special care when taking amitriptyline, as the medicine can make these conditions worse.' (Among many more).

I suffer from migraines, and did a lot more when I was at Uni. None of the preventatives worked for me, but I know that I heighten the risk if I do not get enough sleep, if I do not drink enough water and if I do not eat regularly. I take Naramig tablets and the first sign of a migraine, and for me they work - 8/10 they stop it in it's tracks. I also noted that when my eyesight got worse, so did the migraines until I got a revised prescription for my glasses. There are also days when wearing contacts can trigger the start of a migraine, if I am tired, if my eyes are dry.

I recommend keeping a diary of sorts, noting what was going on on days when you get a migraine. exams, late night before, skipped meals, what you ate etc. I didn't ever find a food trigger (other than red wine), and find most of my migraines can be attributed to hormones (monthly cycle), and the things I mentioned above.

Go back to your G.P. and ask about everything you are worried about. The only stupid question is one you do not ask. Find out if there is a migraine clinic locally, too, and ask for a referral if there is. I went to one of those at a nearby hospital, and they are much more up to date on the available drugs, the side effects etc.

Good luck :)

Could it be that your worsening sight is causing the migraines, so once your prescription has been updated, the migraines should subside? I went through a stage of terrible migraines, which in the end turned out to be because I needed a prism in my glasses!

Personally, I'd have the sight test, get a new prescription and see how things go. You may then no longer need the Amitrptyline, which could then in turn stop the kidney problems? (Going off what Trinity said above).

Thanks for the replies and sorry for my late response.

Alan - I think you're right, the optician didn't even look in my eyes with the light magnifier thing. She did a brief "which is better, 1 or 2" check then said I need a sight test. I'm with Specsavers and I haven't been happy with their service for a long time. They don't send reminders to make an appointment, they don't phone to say I can't have my contact lenses because I haven't had a check up and when my lenses dissolved back in the summer it took a week for them to get back to me. When I find a job and get a more permanent residence then I will change to a different practitioner. Being with a national company and living in several different places and being able to use any opticians is a bonus right now.

Trinity - Amitriptyline is for preventing migraines. It works brilliantly but I've put about a stone in weight on since I started and if I forget to take them one night I have a migraine the next day. The doctor gave me a choice of Ami or another drug which I can't remember the name of. I take citalopram for depression and the two seems to work better for depression than citalopram alone. I know the dosage of Ami isn't the right level for depression but that's a whole other story.

The things that I know triggers migraines are stress, not eating and travelling (which is related to both stress and food). I've never heard of a migraine clinic, will have to look into that.

Tori - it could be that way round, I guess I'll find out when I get an updated prescription.

I've just rung the doctors to make an appointment and they're closed (yes, at 1.30pm on a Tuesday) and they haven't put the automated booking system on. Grr. I'm going to write all this down as I usually forget when I get there.

I am very surprised with what you said.. i have always found Specsavers to be really good. They send me mails, text and email a month before my appointment for eye test is due and I find their eye exams to be very through.. last time they even showed me a scan of my eyes to show me all was clear..

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Originally Posted by Abigail

Thanks for the replies and sorry for my late response.

Alan - I think you're right, the optician didn't even look in my eyes with the light magnifier thing. She did a brief "which is better, 1 or 2" check then said I need a sight test. I'm with Specsavers and I haven't been happy with their service for a long time. They don't send reminders to make an appointment, they don't phone to say I can't have my contact lenses because I haven't had a check up and when my lenses dissolved back in the summer it took a week for them to get back to me. When I find a job and get a more permanent residence then I will change to a different practitioner. Being with a national company and living in several different places and being able to use any opticians is a bonus right now.

Trinity - Amitriptyline is for preventing migraines. It works brilliantly but I've put about a stone in weight on since I started and if I forget to take them one night I have a migraine the next day. The doctor gave me a choice of Ami or another drug which I can't remember the name of. I take citalopram for depression and the two seems to work better for depression than citalopram alone. I know the dosage of Ami isn't the right level for depression but that's a whole other story.

The things that I know triggers migraines are stress, not eating and travelling (which is related to both stress and food). I've never heard of a migraine clinic, will have to look into that.

Tori - it could be that way round, I guess I'll find out when I get an updated prescription.

I've just rung the doctors to make an appointment and they're closed (yes, at 1.30pm on a Tuesday) and they haven't put the automated booking system on. Grr. I'm going to write all this down as I usually forget when I get there.

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My family has had a lot of problems with SpecSavers in the past; they even managed to put some lenses in a pair of glasses the wrong way around! Like you say about changing, I would. It's not worth risking your eyes over their incompetence!

I guess it depends which Specsavers you go to? I am also a fan - I was there last week, and I have used them for at least 3 years. Didn't like Optical Express and somewhere there is a thread on my saga with laser eye surgery....

Do you or anyone in your family have a history of diabetes?

Blueberries are suppose to be good for eyesight

I've had my eyes tested today. I told the optician about what happened on Saturday. He apologised for their incompetence (his word) then said my eyesight has changed slightly but nowhere near as much as what the first optician made out. The scans of my eyes are fine too so there's no structural issues.

I've got headache after all that fiddling around with my eyes. Contact lens check is next Wednesday with the new lenses.

Thanks for all your responses. I'll definitely be changing opticians when I get more settled later in the year. She had me worrying for absolutely nothing.

4. My astigmatism has significantly increased (basically my eyeballs are more rugby ball shaped than football)

My uncorrected vision is terrible, I can make out colours and blurry shapes but I can't read text at all or see detail.

My eyesight is getting worse. I didn't think it was possible but it is. I'm short-sighted have been for years. The last time I had my eye tested I had astigmastism on my weak eye as well. I don't have any health problems or not aware of any. I even had to go and buy a magnifying glass so I can read cooking instructions on food packets. I will need to go. If I had money I'd get the laser surgery done.

The optician asked me if I'd considered laser surgery when I went on Wednesday. I talked to my mum about it last weekend and she was very opposed to the idea. One day when I have enough money I will have it done. By then there will probably be more techniques than LASIK and LASEK and it'll be cheaper.

For the past 8 years I've hated wearing glasses when I was out of contacts but at the moment I really can't be bothered to wear contacts. I love the freedom of glasses to put them on in the morning and not have to adjust them so I can see. Contacts take up about five minutes putting in and taking out and several hours moving around during the day so I can see properly. The optician said there will come a point where glasses will give me better vision than contacts, simply due to how they work. I've seen some zebra print ones which I love :D

Ive never fancied contacts hate things going in my eyes. Although I know that's what laser surgery does. but it would only be once and I'd be glasses free forever.

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Originally Posted by Chloe O'brien

Ive never fancied contacts hate things going in my eyes. Although I know that's what laser surgery does. but it would only be once and I'd be glasses free forever.

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Laser surgery does happen the once but I know a guy who had it done and now has to keep using eye drops to stop his eyes drying... My biggest fear of laser surgery is that the doctor would sneeze doing it and feck me up completely!! I have been wearing glasses for years.. maybe if more options/treatments come in, I would change my mind

My friend had the laser eye surgery and it went wrong. He has had 3 transplants but still none have taken, it really put me off!! Has anyone had it done?

I know 2 people who had it done and are very glad they did, no problems at all, one had did done in Scotland, one in Manchester. I am contemplating it but some of the comments here are putting me off :(

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Originally Posted by Perdita

I know 2 people who had it done and are very glad they did, no problems at all, one had did done in Scotland, one in Manchester. I am contemplating it but some of the comments here are putting me off :(

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I only know of the one guy and as I said he has to keep putting drops in his eyes..he got it done many years ago so maybe the process has improved since then

I heard of a couple of people have had it done before Christmas and the proceudre went great no problems, but as Shiv said a big fear of having the doc mess up. Well if I find a spare 3 grand on a bus in a brown paper bag. I'll get it done and let you know.

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Originally Posted by Chloe O'brien

I heard of a couple of people have had it done before Christmas and the proceudre went great no problems, but as Shiv said a big fear of having the doc mess up. Well if I find a spare 3 grand on a bus in a brown paper bag. I'll get it done and let you know.

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If I find a spare 3 grand.. I am getting boobs.. nobody would care if I was wearing glasses or not!!!

Didn't Bryan have laser surgery?

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Originally Posted by moonstorm

My friend had the laser eye surgery and it went wrong. He has had 3 transplants but still none have taken, it really put me off!! Has anyone had it done?

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I was thinking of it maybe later this year if I can get a loan but now that has put me off

I went for a consult last year and it will cost around 5 grand in euros

I wear glasses I cant wear contact lens I cant work them

One of the people I know who had it done got a money-off coupon on eBay for £1, saved himself loads of money.

I am 46 and now need reading glasses as well as distance glasses. Most people begin to need reading glasses in their late 40s or early 50s and you will still need these later even if laser eye surgury fixes your distance vision now.

I am sure that Parkerman has had laser eye surgury, he was very positive about his experience when I was looking into it a couple of years ago.

I had an unpleasent experience with Optical Express.
http://www.soapboards.co.uk/forums/s...e-Surgey/page7

I would be reluctant to have laser eye surgery for the reasons most mentioned. If it goes wrong you could end up worse off. I have only had to wear glasses recently and it doesnt bother me. My eyesight is precious to me and its the one sense I would hat to lose

I've worn glasses since I was 5, so for me it's part of my life; I would never touch my eyes! Like Alan said, I'd hate to lose my sight!

I had a friend which had terrible migraines as well and it turns out it was a problem with his sight. However, I would think it would be more reasonable to have your eyes checked by a proper optical surgeon as the eye sight is linked to so many other bodily functions. Don’t let opticians prescribe you very expensive contact lenses, my friend gets the prescription and advice but orders his pair cheaply on this contact lens store which has every single type one could wish for

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Originally Posted by Tori

I've worn glasses since I was 5, so for me it's part of my life; I would never touch my eyes! Like Alan said, I'd hate to lose my sight!

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besides Tori.. man make passes at women with glasses :lol:

I don't mind wearing my glasses.. they are relatively cheap nowadays.. doesn't require anything going in or out of your eye and you can even get perscription sunglasses.. there is occasion where I wish I didn't have them like when I go swimming and stuff

My contact lenses are a special prescription, they don't keep them in stock and are usually very expensive (£40 a month). I'm on lensmail from Specsavers and it costs me £15 a month for lenses, solution, free checkups when I need them and two free lenses per year. Given that I'm clumsy and prone to losing things often, its worked out cheaper. I had a problem with lenses dissolving last year and I got three months free lenses on top of the yearly two.

I know that Asda do my lenses for £8 each a month but that doesn't include solution, free check ups or free lenses. The link you gave is actually more expensive than non-franchised practitioners; the solution prices are ridiculous, Specsavers don't charge that much for a bottle on its own. I'm also suspicious of a company based in England that uses phrases such as "toll free" and offers a 110% guarantee.

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Originally Posted by Abigail

My contact lenses are a special prescription, they don't keep them in stock and are usually very expensive (£40 a month). I'm on lensmail from Specsavers and it costs me £15 a month for lenses, solution, free checkups when I need them and two free lenses per year. Given that I'm clumsy and prone to losing things often, its worked out cheaper. I had a problem with lenses dissolving last year and I got three months free lenses on top of the yearly two.

I know that Asda do my lenses for £8 each a month but that doesn't include solution, free check ups or free lenses. The link you gave is actually more expensive than non-franchised practitioners; the solution prices are ridiculous, Specsavers don't charge that much for a bottle on its own. I'm also suspicious of a company based in England that uses phrases such as "toll free" and offers a 110% guarantee.

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I have to say I thought he was a spammer, having only 1 post and all!

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Originally Posted by Tori

I have to say I thought he was a spammer, having only 1 post and all!

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That was in my mind but I thought I'd give him the benefit of the doubt.

Long story short, my lenses have been rotating inwards on the surface of my eye balls hence the power wasn't in the right place for me to see. That's why I couldn't see, nothing to do with my prescription being wrong as the woman initially said. If she had checked the position of the lenses at my first appointment two weeks ago it could have been sorted :rolleyes: I have to go back when I get the altered pair through the post. That's only four visits to the opticians in about three weeks. As if I don't have anything better to do with my time.