POZ Community Forums

Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: stevevaboy on August 07, 2006, 12:50:48 am

Title: Floaters, floaters and more floaters!
Post by: stevevaboy on August 07, 2006, 12:50:48 am

I have a gazillion floaters (those fuzzy, lint-looking things) constantly intruding upon my eyesight.  I'm 42 and have never needed glasses and my overall vision seems fine, but these things are more prevalent than ever before.  I've always seen some in my vision and don't know if, perhaps, HIV or meds (Truvada, Norvir, Reyataz) could cause an increase.  Anyone have knowlege or comments on this???  THANKS!

Title: Re: Floaters, floaters and more floaters!
Post by: sfpvguy41 on August 07, 2006, 12:56:42 am

funny you should mention it.  once in a while i see them.  Mine are yellowish - are yours? wonder if it has to do with bilirubin?

Title: Re: Floaters, floaters and more floaters!
Post by: ARMANDO on August 07, 2006, 08:33:58 am

i have been on norvir and truvada for about one year and in that time i have had several eye inections and have since have had to get reading glasses .i am 52 yrs old and my eyesight has always been good,is it my age or is it the drugs??

Title: Re: Floaters, floaters and more floaters!
Post by: J.R.E. on August 07, 2006, 11:32:00 am

Quote from: stevevaboy on August 07, 2006, 12:50:48 am

  I'm 42 and have never needed glasses and my overall vision seems fine, but these things are more prevalent than ever before. 

Hello Armando,

You say your vision SEEMS FINE Which tells me that you may not have had a good eye exam in a while. If that is the case, you should set up an appointment, with an opthamologist, and get your eyes checked, so you know exactly where you stand with your vision.

Your at that age !!! I started developing/noticing floaters in my early to mid-forty's, And started needing glasses in my mid-forty's.

Get yourself an Exam, and make sure you mention this to your doctor !! My floaters have actually diminished, since starting on meds.


 http://www.stlukeseye.com/Conditions/Floaters.asp



Take care----------Ray

Title: Re: Floaters, floaters and more floaters!
Post by: Warren on August 07, 2006, 10:25:36 pm

I just came on this board for info about an HIV+ relative, but I'd like to comment on floaters. I'm HIV- and I have them and have since I was a teenager or earlier. I asked my eye doctor about them and she said they are relatively normal for many people even when they are young. Many have them but just don't see them since they are essentially seen though.... I believe an eye doctor can see them in your eye when they are doing an eye exam (not sure about this but I believe it to be so)... Sorry to jump in on this thread but I figured I'd comment since I have a lot of floaters myself....

Best of luck and Regards,

Warren

Title: Re: Floaters, floaters and more floaters!
Post by: stevevaboy on August 08, 2006, 11:19:07 am

Thanks for the responses folks!  The web-site was particularly informative.  I think an eye exam is in order!

Steve

Title: Re: Floaters, floaters and more floaters!
Post by: Christine on August 08, 2006, 06:10:13 pm

Hi Steve,
Most floaters are benign, but there are eye problems that can occur in hiv+ people. I would recommend an appointment with an opthamologist who is knowledgeable about hiv eye diseases.

Christine

Title: Re: Floaters, floaters and more floaters!
Post by: Boo Radley on August 25, 2006, 11:05:34 pm

I'm 50, have been blind as a bat (without corrective lenses) since junior high school, and have had floaters since childhood.  When I was bored in school (which happened a lot) I could adjust my vision so I saw only floaters but appeared to be paying attention to the casual observer. 

A few years ago an insect stung my left eye and I underwent several hours of painful inspection at the hospital since they were concerned I was also HIV+.  I never knew light could hurt so much.  During the exam one of the doctors asked me about the large number of floaters in my eyes and I truthfully told him they never bothered me. 

Sometimes if I haven't had enough sleep the floaters are more pronounced but I can still look right through them.  I also like to close my eyes and watch the floaters as they skip around and dance with my eye movements.  I guess I'm just easily amused.

Boo 

Title: Re: Floaters, floaters and more floaters!
Post by: icheb15233 on September 13, 2006, 03:37:51 pm

I have had floaters & bad eyesight since i was a kid. However, since becoming infected and being on meds for the better part of a decade the floaters have increased and eyesight has gotten progressivly worse. I have gone from bad eyesight and having a single sense RX at each and every eye exam to all of a sudden this year TRIFOCALS!!! not bifocals TRIFOCALS OMG I am getting OLD!!!!! LOL  I do have to say though that I also enjoy my floater friends, maybe i am also easily amused. I do believe and THIS IS JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION that when you are poz you need to have yearly eye exams and keep current on your eyglass RX!