POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: J.R.E. on July 31, 2006, 08:04:55 am
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Well...
I Have been having some vision problems, probably for about the last month or so. I had my last eye exam , this past December,( so it hasn't been 7 months) and everything checked out OK then. But this past month, I been having a little bit of blurryness in my eyes. I wear progressive lenses, and when one has to occassionally look out of the bottom of the lenses for distance, somethings not right. It not a constant thing, but its enough to cause aggrivation. So I have an eye appointment set up for this coming Friday, to see if something may be going on.
Ray
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Good luck Ray...
I'm not in the stage of eyeglasses just yet, but it's right around the corner... I'm finding myself holding things further & further away in order to get a good look without a blur. Probably just an age thing for me and I'm due for an eye examination also.
I wish you all the best,
Hugs,
Trish
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Hi Ray,
Does your eye doctor know you are positive? Please make sure he checks for any possible problems in your eyes related to hiv. Your counts are good, so it probably isn't hiv related, but have it checked just to be safe.
I recently started using bifocals and reading glasses after pretending for about six months I did not need them. It is sort of hard to get used to the bi-focals.
Christine
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Another thing...Have you been on any new meds? Sometimes they may lead to blurry vision. Good luck!
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Hi Ray,
Sometime last year, I noticed some progressive blurred vision too. It turned out that I had a floater, which is not uncommon for our age group, whether HIV+, or not. I thought I was developing a cataract. I hope that your vision problem comes out to be something benign too.
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Since it isn't a constant thing and your lenses aren't correcting it, yes, off to the eye doctor and if it isn't something he can single out, speak to your medical docs about it. I wore drug store cheaters for years for reading until I finally couldn't read road signs til I got close to them; driving for a living, that wasn't good. Had money then so got no-line bifocals, very easy to adjust to. Way over due for new glasses and just got a letter that Fl medicaid will cover them, not just the exam any longer but two pair of complete glasses a year as determined necessary.
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Good luck Ray, whatever the hell it is!
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Yeah Ray...When it comes to your eyesight...dont play around buddy.
Good luck..........hope it all works out well. Keep us informed :-*
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Ray,
I am glad you are going to the eye dr. and do let them know you are poz. They will do special test to make sure everything is ok. You are very lucky to have insurance that covers eye, i do not and have not been to an eye dr. in about 4 yrs. I know i need new glasses, my eyes are blury even with my glasses on. I am trying to find a way to get them taken care of. I will be calling my case manager to see what can be done. I have to admit it has me worried, if i can't get help paying for the exam and glasses i am afraid i might loose my sight.
I hope everything turns out fine for you. good luck.
Wendy
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Ray,
I am glad you are going to the eye dr. and do let them know you are poz. Wendy
Hello Wendy,
Oh yes, everyone that works on me knows that I am HIV positive. Dentist, dermatologist, eye Doctor. I am very open to that info.
It seems that since I got this flat panel monitor, thats when the problem started, although it could be something pre-existing. This Monitor seems so intense, and no mstter how I adjust it, I just can't seem to get it right. There is no noticible infection in the eyes. No redness or discomfort.
I've been swimming a lot in the Gulf this past month. Maybe something in the water. Anyway, I will let you know how the eye exam goes, maybe I just need to be kicked up a notch in my precscription. ( Like my eyeballs don't already look big enough !! :P
Thanks------Ray
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Ray, hopefully you just need a slight change in your prescription.
I go around blind as a bat half the time..I have to wear glasses to drive, so they stay in the car. I sometimes wear one contact lens, that works pretty well for me. I got some of those new O2Optix ones to take to Montreal, so maybe I can actually SEE the city and my A.M. Family !
When I hit the lotto, my first scheduled procedure will be Lasik....next, Sculptra!
Good luck, let us know what you find out.
Hugs,
Alan
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Hello Ray it is Eldon. Let us know how it turns out at the Eye Doctor.
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Ray,
The only thing that I can think of to do with HIV that could cause your symptoms is CMV and he/she would know by looking at your retina whether it is this or not. Given your numbers it is unlikely but it is something to talk to them about. It normally comes on with T-cell counts lower than 100.
R
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Hey Ray
Working on monitors does a job to the old eyesight hiv or not. Also with me, sinsus and stuffy nose from pollen in the air can mess with the vision. Wouldnt notice it except working with monitors makes it noticable more so.
PS. So glad to see your VL back to <50. Must be something in the labs processing since you jump around but always get back down to <50.
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Ray,
Without my glasses, I run into pillars and say, "excuse me." So, eye doctors are my friend.
You are seeing an opthamologist aren't you? Its the only way to go.
HUGS,
Mark
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Good Luck, Ray. Since 1 month I have trouble focusing, I thought maybe my age (45) but now I'll go and really check. Useful thread :)
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Just an update on yesterday,
Everything went well !!! My eyes are in pretty good shape, for a 54 year old, just age related issues. Went up to a 2.50, from a 2.25 in the right eye. Left eye dropped .25 in in correction for astigmatism. While new lenses were really not needed because the difference was so negligible, I decided on getting another pair anyways, for backup.
The pressure in the eyes was 13, no signs of cataract, and everything looks very healthy at the retina, according to the doctor, no signs of infection. Soooo thats quite a relief !!!!
So?, I ask, why am I having this occasional blurring. The doctor says most likely the computer, causing it. Apparently if you spend too much time on a computer, your eyes have less of a tendency to blink, when you are looking at the screen, and as a result the eyes will dry out more easily, and become more stressed. As a result the blurriness !!
This problem never existed with the old CRT monitor, until I got this new LCD monitor. Maybe I will buy some eye drops.
So .... I feel good, Everythings fine for now !! New glasses will be ready in 5 days.
Ray
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Here's looking at you kid...as a fellow 54 year old I feel your pain. Glad your peepers checked out OK!
Hal 8)
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Ray: There's also a type of glasses called Prio, which I believe are still around, that are intended for use while on the computer. They are prescription and the measurements are configured with consideration to the average distance from your eyes to the monitor screen surface. I've worn progressive bifocals for some time and have a pair of Prio. To keep costs down (nope, I don't remember what I paid as this was a number of years ago), when I got them, I just used the geekiest pair of old frames and velcroed a case onto the side of the monitor frame for easy access. I'm not an eye doc, but this might be an option to discuss during your checkup. They make a significant difference when you're on-line. Em
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Ray,
Glad to hear that everything checked out fine :)
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Hi Ray
I'm glad to hear everything turned out well at the eye doctor. the last time I went, last fall, the doctor told me I have something called cotton wool spots behind my eyes. She said its nothing to worry about but that it is common in us HIV+ folks. I had never heard of it before but I did research it and apparently she was right. She said she'd watch it... My left eye is rather blurry recently also, I think its related to allergies too and of course the computer screen.
Also FYI Lens Crafters has a program that will provide glasses for anyone over 60 and/ or low income. You have to pay for the exam though.
Jena
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Hi Ray, I knew it was the monitor. But bringing up lcd now makes me wonder too. Seems I strain more on my lcd than the old tube type. Might be something to look into (no pun). I might get my old tube monitor out and compare.
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Actually the LCD screens are supposed to be easier on the eyes. CRT monitors constantly flicker. If you ever tried to video tape a television screen or crt computer monitor you can see the flicker. It's not that perceptible otherwise.
It's not good to stare at anything for long periods of time. My eye doctor once told me to look away from the screen at least every fifteen minutes. A good way to relax your eye muscles is to look out the window or (god forbid) go outside and look off into the distance as far as you can see, like at the horizon or the sky. This almost completely relaxes the eye muscles.
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Hi Ray...Glad you got a good eye report...Yes, the computer, TV, movies, reading, etc. all stress our eyes...We are probably the first generation that is going through this and doctors are learning all the time...Stay well and keep on truckin'
Jody ::)
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We are probably the first generation that is going through this and doctors are learning all the time...Stay well and keep on truckin'
Jody ::)
My partner Ed, Who works for an eye doctor, told me it's called "Computer Vision Syndrome" ( CVS) caused from "Visual Display Terminals. I was trying to think of this name the other day, he had mentioned this to me, but I had forgotten.
http://www.allaboutvision.com/askdoc/computer-vision-syndrome.htm
Ray