I’m worried about my eyes

[Phar Lap]

Over the recent past maybe days or week or two,  but just on and off I’ve noticed my eyes jumping and reading the form hard because the letters are blurry. This  has become really bad all of a sudden not good yesterday but worse today. At the doctors yesterday I thought there was something wrong with my glasses. Today it’s like reading a foreign language and I’ve no bloody idea if I’m typing correctly.
Both yesterday and today I could read thus better without my glasses.

I know I have to go have an eye test. Glass do need updating but thus is something else, thus has never happened to me. Last time I had new glasses the lenses cost around $1700? for two pairs - everyday and sun glass lenses. I have to wear spectacular when driving..

Has thus happened to anyone here? It’s disconcerting, having Diabetes 2 can also be bad for eyesight.
Thank you for listening. I have been spending too much time on the iPad.

[Webs]

I don't want to hear about another fucking medical issue from you. Get to a doctor. We are not doctors.

[HalcyonDaze]

Did you mention it when you were at the doctor's yesterday?

[jimm]

Not quite like that Phar - but the first time I noticed floaters in my eye it was rather alarming.

If you have a pension a lot of the cost of eye tests and new specs will be covered. Don't be afraid of having cataracts done - sounds alarming but isn't in practice, and the results are remarkable.

ps dont get prescription sunnies - just a set of clip-ons will do for driving.

[Phar Lap]

Apr 4, 2024 19:23:42 GMT -5 HalcyonDaze said:

Did you mention it when you were at the doctor's yesterday?

I may have done, I don’t remember. I was there for a specific purpose unrelated to eyes. From when I first had my eyes tested and being seen by Dr. P, an eye specialist, I don’t go to a doctor. Since my first pair of glasses in 1975 I have gone to OPSM for eye checkups. 

[Phar Lap]

Apr 4, 2024 20:05:01 GMT -5 jimm said:

Not quite like that Phar - but the first time I noticed floaters in my eye it was rather alarming.

If you have a pension a lot of the cost of eye tests and new specs will be covered. Don't be afraid of having cataracts done - sounds alarming but isn't in practice, and the results are remarkable.

ps dont get prescription sunnies - just a set of clip-ons will do for driving.

Jimm, the only time I have floaters is when a migraine is coming. Since 1975 I have gone to OPSM up the road, eye tests are free, the only thing which is not are the frames and lenses. 

I did once, go to the College of Optometry Carlton. I did get so called “free” glasses, but still had to pay for frames because I hated the free ones - horrible big plastic things with immobile plastic nose bits! 
       The person who did the eye test made errors in their judgement, wrote the incorrect prescription. Picked up new glasses blind as a bat. Eye test redone, new script, eventually I had new glasses. I don’t know that I trust them.  One of the disadvantages of using the government subsidy was anti glare coating wasn’t covered and if you offer to pay for that the subsidy is no longer valid.

Rang OPSM, have appointment for eye test this Sunday at 11.30. 

[whothingie]

Make sure you have taken your meds consistently before Sunday as BP and diabetes issues can upset the eyes. My optician picked up a BP problem that wasn't bad enough to be picked up at the Dr's but did need management.

[Phar Lap]

Thank you for the bit about the diabetes tablet. And the other ones too. I had become a bit muddled or lazy or not thinking or insert own adjective here *** and had been haphazard about tablet taking. Which might explain moodiness and depressive thinking recently but am back on track now. Eyes are tired - I shan’t be able to clear up and clean things with this bad eyesight! 

Rang Junior earlier, he will drive me to OPSM. Just to be on the safe side. 

[ozziegiraffe]

Good that you’re seeing an optometrist at OPSM, but I hope they refer you to an ophthalmologist (Eye doctor), who can investigate for cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
I’m my experience, the OPSM optometrist picked up my issues, but referred me to an ophthalmologist for monitoring and treating.
Optometrists can identify issues and prescribe glasses, but they can’t treat the other issues related to aging.

[Phar Lap]

Apr 5, 2024 6:52:53 GMT -5 ozziegiraffe said:

Good that you’re seeing an optometrist at OPSM, but I hope they refer you to an ophthalmologist (Eye doctor), who can investigate for cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
I’m my experience, the OPSM optometrist picked up my issues, but referred me to an ophthalmologist for monitoring and treating.
Optometrists can identify issues and prescribe glasses, but they can’t treat the other issues related to aging.

Now you’re scaring me, Ozzie. I have heard of the first two and something about have you checked your macular but not the diabetic retinopathy. I hope I don’t have any of those.

[jimm]

Phar - what you described as floaters may be what is called an aural migrain - I get them and it looks like this (mine are less dramatic):

[jimm]

I also have floaters in both eyes- they are there all the time but mostly I don't notice them. They look a bit like this:

Isn't great getting old?

[ozziegiraffe]

I’ve had fewer floaters since my cataract operations.

[Liiisa]

I get both ocular migraines ("aural" is about your ears?) and floaters, and I have to go to the ophthalmologist every 6 months because I have elevated eye pressure that keeps triggering a glaucoma warning.

Get a referral to an ophthalmologist and get thee hence! The visual field test is annoying, but it's a relief to know that at least for the next 6 months I am unlikely to go blind.

Edited several hours later because I remembered that that should be "ocular" (remembered because I think I'm about to have one now)

[jimm]

I wondered about 'aural' referring to sounds, but I take it as referring to a visual 'aura'.

[Liiisa]

Oh, sorry then jimm! Here they call it "ocular," but maybe they don't there.

[whothingie]

Anyone with diabetes here is on an automatic call up for a specialist annual eye appointment and a 6 monthly blood test. We moan about our health care service ands its always compared negatively to the aust one but perhaps it's not so bad after all.

[Phar Lap]

Apr 5, 2024 23:26:58 GMT -5 jimm said:

I also have floaters in both eyes- they are there all the time but mostly I don't notice them. They look a bit like this:

View Attachment

Isn't great getting old?

Ooh they’re horrible, Jimm, they look like bugs! Mine are spots - circular. At least they aren’t bug looking! More like mould spores! When I get them, they always begin in the right eye from the rightest part of the right eye and gradually moves along and over to the left then it’s back to the right again. This has never changed direction - it never begins in the left eye!

[Phar Lap]

The fellow tested my eyes I have the script but will wait a bit. Price for lenses? $656.00 and that includes a 20% discount. This is using my own frames. And that is only for one pair, my sunglasses have prescription lenses too. I plan to take the script to the opposition to see what they charge.

This will have to wait because my car has a flat, dead battery. The Big A will come over tomorrow if he can or on Tuesday. 

[HalcyonDaze]

Do you have health insurance?

It was about $650 for 3 new pairs for me at Oscar Wylee with insurance, and that was going for all the expensive options.

[ozziegiraffe]

Phar, did he test for anything other than glasses? My optometrist always did extra tests, some of which I had to pay for. And did you tell him what happened the other day?
I have had a red spot in the outer half of my right eye since yesterday. Previously it happened when my blood pressure was elevated. However, since I had stents inserted for glaucoma last year, I’ll be ringing my ophthalmologist tomorrow, to see if I should worry. My vision is not affected.

[fishface]

Apr 7, 2024 2:28:07 GMT -5 Phar Lap said:

The fellow tested my eyes I have the script but will wait a bit. Price for lenses? $656.00 and that includes a 20% discount. This is using my own frames. And that is only for one pair, my sunglasses have prescription lenses too. I plan to take the script to the opposition to see what they charge.

This will have to wait because my car has a flat, dead battery. The Big A will come over tomorrow if he can or on Tuesday. 

I hope that is a script for graduating lenses or something and not a single lens prescription.

Depending on where you go you might find that using your own frames cost more.

[HalcyonDaze]

Apr 7, 2024 3:35:57 GMT -5 ozziegiraffe said:

Phar, did he test for anything other than glasses? My optometrist always did extra tests, some of which I had to pay for. And did you tell him what happened the other day?
I have had a red spot in the outer half of my right eye since yesterday. Previously it happened when my blood pressure was elevated. However, since I had stents inserted for glaucoma last year, I’ll be ringing my ophthalmologist tomorrow, to see if I should worry. My vision is not affected.

argh, the carefully shining the bright light in my eye while she peered closely at the blood vessels in the eye triggered a 3 day migraine with the last lot of testing.
was horrible, but at least I got the all clear for some nasties.

[Liiisa]

I told the ophth tech after that test that it's the "if you weren't going blind yet, you are now" test

[jimm]

Apr 7, 2024 2:28:07 GMT -5 Phar Lap said:

The fellow tested my eyes I have the script but will wait a bit. Price for lenses? $656.00 and that includes a 20% discount. This is using my own frames. . 

Phar - see here: 

services.dffh.vic.gov.au/eye-care-and-glasses

you might be able to get specs for less than that.

DID YOU GET A REFERRAL TO A PROPER EYE DOCTOR? An Ophthalmologist. See them before you get new specs.

[fishface]

Also get a blood test. Sudden changes in eyesight can be due to other medical reasons including infection. My father's eyesight changed quite suddenly recently and it was another symptom that on its own he may not have considered an issue. But turns out it was a symptom of what was causing kidney failure (he's recovering now).

[Phar Lap]

Phar, did he test for anything other than glasses?

Yes, there was an extra one which cost $60. Fifteen minutes after I left, they rang me - I had forgotten to pay. They forgot to ask for payment when I left.

The script is not for single vision lenses. I wish it was, they are so much cheaper! 

As well as checking for cost with Specsavers, I will ring the College of Optometry to see if I can get the lenses from them. I don’t know if they accept scripts from outside or only do their own.

Apr 7, 2024 7:29:56 GMT -5 fishface said:

Also get a blood test. Sudden changes in eyesight can be due to other medical reasons including infection. My father's eyesight changed quite suddenly recently and it was another symptom that on its own he may not have considered an issue. But turns out it was a symptom of what was causing kidney failure (he's recovering now).

Fish, it has been six years since I last had my eyes tested - 2018 and I did get the top of the range lenses then. Some new thing the cheapest price gave you a third of good vision, the middle price gave you two thirds of good vision, and the top one gave you three thirds of good vision. That’s the only way I’m able to explain it. Seemed rather stupid to me to divide the quality of spectacle lenses like that. I don’t know if they still do this.

[ozziegiraffe]

Phar, there is so much more to vision as we get older than glasses. I never needed glasses until my late forties, and even last year could have managed with just reading glasses. However, an astute optometrist picked up issues that weren’t affecting my vision, but were affecting my eye health, and referred me to an ophthalmologist more that ten years ago. Since then I’ve been monitored regularly for glaucoma, prescribed eye drops for that, and more recently cataracts.
Since the surgeries last year I haven’t needed glasses or eye drops. You MUST have a check by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor). Most of these conditions don’t make themselves apparent until it is too late.

As for me and the bloodshot eye, I phoned the ophthalmologist and caught him between patients. It is nothing to worry about, is related to blood pressure and will resolve itself.

[tzarine]

ozzie's right
you have to check macular degeneration & cataracts & glaucoma are some of the issues seniors have to contend with

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