Something's up with my eyes, but I can't see what it is...
December 22, 2018 11:26 AM Subscribe
I've been having some low grade vision difficulties for...maybe a year now? I'd like to go see an optometrist soon. Help me get as informed as possible before I go!
YNNO, I know! But I want to know things before I use my once-every-12-months, in part so that I can describe things accurately and know what's important to mention.
- I was moderately nearsighted (-4.50 in both eyes) from around 8 to my mid-20s. Then for a variety of reasons I had lasik. I was told by the lasik guy that I have suber healthy cornea, and that he overshot a little bit anticipating that the usual "rebound" myopia, but that didn't happen, so I have something like +0.5 farsightedness. I always have always had very slight astimatism that's never noticeable.
- My problem these days is that my vision fluctuates, and when it's bad everything is a little blurry, although it's way worse close up. Sometimes my distance vision is crystal clear and my near vision is all blurry, but never the other way around.
- I have dry eyes. Eye drops help but only for like five minutes.
- In June I had an eye exam (I lived in Canada at that point and had a different insurance plan), and got a prescription for presbyopia, +0.75 in both eyes. The optometrist told me that it was "temporary presbyopia." I got the prescription filled, but the glasses make my eyes hurt (like, I feel a pressure in my eye balls) after about 10-20 minutes and make me seasick. They do help-- things look clearer with them. I've tried them for months. I don't think it's an adjustment problem.
- I do not have diabetes (recently checked) or high blood pressure (in fact often too low to donate blood).
Which part(s) of all this should I mention/highlight to a new optometrist? I mostly feel very uncertain right now because I am not sure if the sketchy lasik situation is even relevant, and because my last visit to the optometrist wasn't a great experience, and I really want to get this sorted.
YNNO, I know! But I want to know things before I use my once-every-12-months, in part so that I can describe things accurately and know what's important to mention.
- I was moderately nearsighted (-4.50 in both eyes) from around 8 to my mid-20s. Then for a variety of reasons I had lasik. I was told by the lasik guy that I have suber healthy cornea, and that he overshot a little bit anticipating that the usual "rebound" myopia, but that didn't happen, so I have something like +0.5 farsightedness. I always have always had very slight astimatism that's never noticeable.
- My problem these days is that my vision fluctuates, and when it's bad everything is a little blurry, although it's way worse close up. Sometimes my distance vision is crystal clear and my near vision is all blurry, but never the other way around.
- I have dry eyes. Eye drops help but only for like five minutes.
- In June I had an eye exam (I lived in Canada at that point and had a different insurance plan), and got a prescription for presbyopia, +0.75 in both eyes. The optometrist told me that it was "temporary presbyopia." I got the prescription filled, but the glasses make my eyes hurt (like, I feel a pressure in my eye balls) after about 10-20 minutes and make me seasick. They do help-- things look clearer with them. I've tried them for months. I don't think it's an adjustment problem.
- I do not have diabetes (recently checked) or high blood pressure (in fact often too low to donate blood).
Which part(s) of all this should I mention/highlight to a new optometrist? I mostly feel very uncertain right now because I am not sure if the sketchy lasik situation is even relevant, and because my last visit to the optometrist wasn't a great experience, and I really want to get this sorted.
To be clear: in Canada, you generally need a referral to an ophthalmologist. You can't just walk up. You do *not* need a referral to an optometrist.
I'd recommend going to an optometrist (not an optician, who cannot prescribe meditation, only glasses). If the optometrist is good, they will know when they are out of their depth (or forbidden by law from doing something) and will refer you to an ophthalmologist (which will get you the referral you need).
Source: optometrists treated my bilateral iritis in Canada, but referred me to an opthalmologist when I briefly regressed (despite still being on full-dosage drops), who handled treatment in much greater depth, including doing a differential diagnosis on the cause of my iritis.
posted by flibbertigibbet at 12:07 PM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'd recommend going to an optometrist (not an optician, who cannot prescribe meditation, only glasses). If the optometrist is good, they will know when they are out of their depth (or forbidden by law from doing something) and will refer you to an ophthalmologist (which will get you the referral you need).
Source: optometrists treated my bilateral iritis in Canada, but referred me to an opthalmologist when I briefly regressed (despite still being on full-dosage drops), who handled treatment in much greater depth, including doing a differential diagnosis on the cause of my iritis.
posted by flibbertigibbet at 12:07 PM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
I agree that your issues call for an ophthalmologist, because it's very possible you've got a medical problem with your eyes. Only an ophthalmologist can really help with dry eye, for example, and you may have another issue as well.
With US insurance, I have found it best not to get a glasses prescription from the ophthalmologist, because without the glasses prescription the visit will be covered by my medical insurance. My medical insurance refuses to pay for any visit that includes a glasses prescription. Then I get my glasses prescription from the optometrist who is associated with a nearby optical shop that has a particularly good optician. That's covered by my eye care plan, if I have one at the time.
posted by chromium at 12:10 PM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
With US insurance, I have found it best not to get a glasses prescription from the ophthalmologist, because without the glasses prescription the visit will be covered by my medical insurance. My medical insurance refuses to pay for any visit that includes a glasses prescription. Then I get my glasses prescription from the optometrist who is associated with a nearby optical shop that has a particularly good optician. That's covered by my eye care plan, if I have one at the time.
posted by chromium at 12:10 PM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
Also: most medical professionals assume that, if you don't come back, that they fixed it. So if you get a solution that doesn't work, but feel the professional was fundamentally good at their jobs, please go back.
You can even ask for a referral to an ophth at your appointment!
Also, if you are in Ontario, optometrist trips that discover or treat certain eye diseases are OHIP-covered. (I paid very little, except for the hideously expensive eye drops, for the 1.5 months of optometrist treatment before my ophthalmologist took over care for the next two months.)
posted by flibbertigibbet at 12:12 PM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
You can even ask for a referral to an ophth at your appointment!
Also, if you are in Ontario, optometrist trips that discover or treat certain eye diseases are OHIP-covered. (I paid very little, except for the hideously expensive eye drops, for the 1.5 months of optometrist treatment before my ophthalmologist took over care for the next two months.)
posted by flibbertigibbet at 12:12 PM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
A question: do you find that your vision is worse in specific circumstances? My distance vision is worse for some time after reading my phone in bed in the morning, and apparently this is A Thing as you get older for some people.
This may not be your problem and I am certainly not the right person to say - that's why you need to find a professional to ask - but they would be able to make use of this sort of information if you can see any patterns.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 12:57 PM on December 22, 2018
This may not be your problem and I am certainly not the right person to say - that's why you need to find a professional to ask - but they would be able to make use of this sort of information if you can see any patterns.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 12:57 PM on December 22, 2018
I had similar problems with vision changing. Turned out to be idiopathic intercrainal pressure, effecting my optic disc. Go see an ophthalmologist before getting your glasses would be my suggestion so you know what to tell your optometrist when you go to them. My optometrist rose to the challenge & helped me find glasses that worked best with my problem, in my case progressive bifocals that actually kind of work with my changing eyesight as I can alter the focus by positioning the glasses & tipping my head up & down.
posted by wwax at 4:17 PM on December 22, 2018
posted by wwax at 4:17 PM on December 22, 2018
Speaking from The Land of Complicated Eyeballs, I also recommend you tell all these symptoms to your practitioner (and I hope an ophthalmologist can be involved, even if you can't go stray to one right off). Write them down if you need to.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:38 PM on December 22, 2018
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:38 PM on December 22, 2018
You've clearly got a lot going on, but dry eyes are a really common complication of LASIK, and not all eye drops are created equal.
posted by chiquitita at 1:54 AM on December 23, 2018
posted by chiquitita at 1:54 AM on December 23, 2018
I have dry eyes and my vision can be pretty variable as a result. As for dry eyes, my ophthalmologist has different recommendations for different level of dry eyes. Flax seed oil and fish oil daily supplements have helped. Eye drops taken on a regular basis may be needed until you get things in order. There are also gels for nighttime use which I find make my eyes much better the next day.
The bigger question may be to find out why you have dry eyes. This can be caused by all sorts of things, including meds and autoimmune disorders.
posted by evening at 4:50 PM on December 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
The bigger question may be to find out why you have dry eyes. This can be caused by all sorts of things, including meds and autoimmune disorders.
posted by evening at 4:50 PM on December 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Autumnheart at 11:44 AM on December 22, 2018 [8 favorites]