POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: milker on August 23, 2007, 01:57:11 pm
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There we go again about disclosure...
I've reached that time when I need to see an eye doctor for the first time.. eyes get tired fast, vision is a bit blurry and I can't read shit if it's too close. The question is.. should I tell the eye doctor i'm hiv? Is it relevant for vision?
Milker
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Same thing applies to the eye doctor as applies to the dentist: there are specific HIV related issues to look for when giving an exam. Your eye exam must include a check for CMV retinitis, it is important. The lower the CD4count the more crucial. Just as with the dentist who looks for thrush or gum health issues, the eye doctor is an important part of the HIV health TEAM. There is not ONE HIV doctor any more but many.....your ID doctor does not perform eye exams. Your orthopedist does not perform dental work. So treat all your doctors as a HEALTH TEAM. They must all know your status.
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Yeah the eye doc should know.
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Thanks ! I'll tell the doc and make sure there is this exam done then.
Milker.
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Piffle! Everybody already beat me to the punchline. :P
You Ophthalmologist needs to absolutely know....for all of the reasons Bear mentioned above, and a few more.
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Milk,
By all means tell your Ophthalmologist.
Ray
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Milker, wear pink, swish to the chair and flip your wrist and you won't have to tell him. He'll know. :D
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OK I really do not get it. Disclosure !!!!! Get out of the closet!!!!!!!
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Yes, the opthalmologist definitely needs to know your status. Mine always asks about my current VL and CD4. I used to have to go a lot more frequently (no immune system, you know) but once a year is good now for me.
If it's just an optometrist testing your vision for glasses.....I don't suppose they really need to know, but still it wouldn't hurt.
Alan
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No. You shouldn't disclose.
HIV is well known for causing vision problems such as CMV retinitis, but you should absolutely keep your status a secret from you eye doctor.
Jesus Christ!!
MtD
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Alan, mine always asks if there has been any medication changes and he asks about my CD4 level and VL and asks if I've noticed any vision problems. I have a test that I'm suppose to look at once a week to see if there are any changes. I don't remember the name of the test. It's just a bunch of little square boxes. If they are to wave or blur I'm to contact him.
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Rod,
that's the Amsler Grid....I used to keep one taped to the wall when my CD4's were so low.
LOL@Matty ;D
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I haven't had my eyes checked in about a decade.
::lives on the edge::
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I only have 1 pink tshirt that reads "Cotton, the plant with balls" ::)
Thanks for the answers. I expected people to say "of course, are you ignorant or what?", but ya know, I like myself a little bit of spanking now and then. I never had eye problems before so I never paid attention to what eye problem could be related with HIV. Now I know :)
Milker.
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There we go again about disclosure...
I've reached that time when I need to see an eye doctor for the first time.. eyes get tired fast, vision is a bit blurry and I can't read shit if it's too close. The question is.. should I tell the eye doctor i'm hiv? Is it relevant for vision?
Milker
40 hits pretty hard, don't it! ;D
Get the reading glasses. They will help, and you will get over it. Most likely.
And take the CMV warnings seriously. If your CD4 count is less than 50, do it every 6 months. (or is it every 3 months? The memory is the next thing to go, after the eyes.)
JR (who will now retire with thoughts of spanking Milker. For that, thank you ever so)
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I'll add my voice to the chorus.
Of course you should tell your eye doctor! Your posts here indicate that you have a pretty good understanding of HIV. I don't understand how you could even think of not telling him.
And the same goes for the dermatologist or any other medical specialist you see.
Allan
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I don't understand how you could even think of not telling him.
That's why i'm here asking, my friend. My education is not complete, i'm a n00b and learning.
Milker.
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Milker,
My apologies for coming across like that! Sometimes I should think more before posting.
Allan
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Milker,
My apologies for coming across like that! Sometimes I should think more before posting.
Allan
Oh allan, absolutely not!!!!!!!!! You're right, there are many aspects of HIV that I haven't learned yet. I didn't see (no pun intended) the relation between HIV and eyes because I know nothing about eye diseases, so no need to apologize !
Milker.
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You'd think that with 3,082 posts you'd have your own medical degree by now.
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You'd think that with 3,082 posts you'd have your own medical degree by now.
an eye for an eye
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You post 18 times/day and I only post 10.
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You post 18 times/day and I only post 10.
and I have 746 PMs bitch.
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and I have 746 PMs bitch.
Peasant! I took six months off and have 969 PMs.
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There we go again about disclosure...
I've reached that time when I need to see an eye doctor for the first time.. eyes get tired fast, vision is a bit blurry and I can't read shit if it's too close. The question is.. should I tell the eye doctor i'm hiv? Is it relevant for vision?
Milker
Milker, come on now surely you jest? Unless you are fucking your opthamologist or optometrist I see no reason to share it unless you feel you have some HIV related issue of concern.
Then again, I've been up late cleaning the house and inhaling solvents and chemicals so my judgement may well be impaired ; )
Seriously, I wouldn't worry bout it. Tell em, what do you have to loose? You're the customer and I'm thinking he/she probably would like to retain their medical license.
Wesley
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Yes, sweetie, you should. I am glad you are finally getting glasses. Have been wearing glasses for only 6 years now. I now have regular appointments with an ophtalmologist to monitor for any eye disease progressions. My doc referred me to him since I am terrified of losing my eyesight. Of all the things that can happen to my system because I'm HIV+, losing my sight is the most terrifying, I think.
xxx,
Mike
P.S. Yes, it's one of those HIV virus related woes that imposes an unintended lifestyle on ya. ;)
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Rod,
that's the Amsler Grid....I used to keep one taped to the wall when my CD4's were so low.
LOL@Matty ;D
Yep, that's the name of it. I put my glasses on and blam there it is. ;)
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I'm supposed to get my eyes checked every six months, not just because of having AIDS, but also because I have diabetes. I have diabetic retinopathy in my right eye and a cataract developing in my left. I have to be special, you know. ;)
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FYI, your retinas can indicate early signs of heart disease. Also people with HIV are 6-8 times more likely to have corneal infections, which I have had multiple times. We are also susceptible to all kinds of eye nasties.
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Can we get at what the heart of this matter is? Why do people even question disclosing to medical personnel in the first place? Is it just a n00b-ignorance issue? I've been putting "HIV" on every form that I fill out when I go for an initial visit since I can remember first starting to go to an endless stream of specialists 10 years ago, and NEVER ONCE has anyone blinked an eye. I realize that I had the luxury of living in NYC and where I do currently, and the medical communities there obviously encounter this more, but milker also lives in an urban area as do most on this board. I suppose if I lived in a rural area I might be cautious, but probably not. What's more important? I complete medical record or a doctor's potential freak out (which I'd wager is 97% completely in your mind in the first place)?
I'm sorry, but I just don't understand the worry here. I really, really do not.
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Really, I had plans to disclose. It's just total ignorance about eye issues that made me just wonder and post here. I don't recall having any eye exam done in my life.
Philly, don't you realize you will have an opportunity to shop for my frames? Dolce Gabana or Walmart?
Milker.
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Really, I had plans to disclose. It's just total ignorance about eye issues that made me just wonder and post here. I don't recall having any eye exam done in my life.
Philly, don't you realize you will have an opportunity to shop for my frames? Dolce Gabana or Walmart?
Milker.
Well, as I stated in another thread I've never been horribly huge on Dolce but I'm too mortified of Wal*marts to even consider this. I don't wear glasses of the prescriptive sort so I'm afraid I can't offer any advice. However, about 20 years ago I used to have a couple pair of glasses with plain clear lenses in them to wear to job interviews because I thought they made me look older. One were gold wire spectacles and the others made me look like Morrissey circa 1985.
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FYI, your retinas can indicate early signs of heart disease. Also people with HIV are 6-8 times more likely to have corneal infections, which I have had multiple times. We are also susceptible to all kinds of eye nasties.
When I was last time at my eye doc ( he exams only HIVers ) , and I`m shortsighted and wear glasses ocassionaly and contact lenses for over 30 yrs , it was not unclear to me if there is any other medical conditions beside CMV that we should be concerned of (or any other eye medical conditions that are connected with HIV)...........so maybe if is not too complicated , you should tell your doc ..............but that`s my 2cc
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Hi Milker~
I can still remember when I didn't disclose to a former eye doctor out of fear and wanting to keep things private. I was being fitted for contact lenses in the the late '90s and my eyes felt so uncomfortable in every brand that we tried. Turns out, I found out later, that my meds (PIs) were causing me to have dry eye and I couldn't get any comfort with my lenses. I visited that poor doc over and over, trying to find lenses that felt good and didn't stick to my eyes. I wish I would've been up front with him from the beginning. I have a different eye doctor now who has known me for about 8 years and knows all of my history.
You can never be too safe, whether its from lens comfort or early detection of something going on in your eyes. Disclose!
~Cindy
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Hey Milker honey,
Like the others said, tell the eye doc. Then come directly to my house where I will administer the spanking you begged for!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :o
I am now looking for another eye doc, one who isn't afraid to be in the same room with me.
HUGS,
Mark
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Milker,
I have a very good eye doctor right in Hillcrest. He is very knowledgable about HIV as it relates to eye ball health. PM me and I will send you his contact information. Plus he does this cool new take a picture of the back of your eye which you get to see. Anyway, hope all goes well. I am on the cusp of reading glasses myself ....
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Milker, come on now surely you jest? Unless you are fucking your opthamologist or optometrist I see no reason to share it unless you feel you have some HIV related issue of concern.
Milker, please disregard this advice, for your eyes' sake! You have HIV. THAT is your issue of concern.
Alan
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Yeah really Austin... way to discount the opinions of those who know more about this issue and posted before you.
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yay, no CMV no glaucoma. And woah to glasses. I was impressed when he showed me the "before" and "after". I will be able to read my new phone's documentation! Yeepee!
The doctor said he hasn't seen a CMV case in 7 years.
Milker.
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Good for you Milker!
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Yeah, this is why I don't worry about CMV much myself as I was told the same thing.
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There we go again about disclosure...
I've reached that time when I need to see an eye doctor for the first time.. eyes get tired fast, vision is a bit blurry and I can't read shit if it's too close. The question is.. should I tell the eye doctor i'm hiv? Is it relevant for vision?
Milker
I would definitely disclose it. I did and in doing so it made my opthamologist look for specific problems that can arise in poz people. Luckily for me I still have 20/20 vision and my ret is fine. One thing to think about, being poz and on meds your eyes can a lot of times have "migranes" of the eye which can give you the blurry vision, tiredness or you may see stars or black specs......I originally thought it was a much worse problem but found out I was far from going blind due to hiv and there was nothing wrong with my ret. My advice, just disclose it so he looks for what he needs to look out for.