Eye Problems

Today I went to see Dr. McGraw at the Ross Eye Institute again. This would be the third time this year. My eye problems and vision has been getting worse and the several glasses I've tried in recent months have not always been very helpful. After the appointment today I was told I needed to update my eyeglass prescription again. 

After several different tests it was determined that I have fast acting cataracts. My right eye is especially bad and getter worse. I was not surprised because I have certainly noticed the changes in my eyesight in many different situations. Especially driving where I've been suddenly having problems reading distant signs that were not a problem previously. I've also noticed that I was having more difficulty seeing writing on the television screen from the same spot on the couch I've always sat without problems. My vision generally has been more cloudy recently.

I've been worried that the problems were being caused by the aneurysm located behind my eyes. I was told many years ago by my neurosurgeon that if I ever had sudden issues with my eyes that I should get a brain scan to check on my aneurysms because one of them was near my left eye and optic nerve. If it was going to grow or act up it would affect my eyes. Back in 1989 after clipping my much larger life threatening aneurysms he said there was good news and bad news about the second aneurysm near my eyes that was inoperable. The good news was that if it were to rupture the blood would drain into my sinus area and eye sockets and not be fatal. The bad news was that it would cause probable blindness. So I’ve been living with that threat for 34 years and recently my eyes started causing me problems

Now of course when that surgeon warned my about my eyes I was a thirty-something and today when my eyes are giving me trouble I am a seventy-something. Big difference and back then I never thought about cataracts at all. However, my eye doctor at Ross Eye Institute was concerned with my aneurysm background but thought my issues were cataract related. The very early stages of the cataract were first seen a year ago but the changes over the next few months were dramatic. I started worrying about that aneurysm near my eyes. I discussed my eye problems and the potential aneurysm issue with my primary doctor and then with my neurosurgery team. They gave me a referral for a CTA brain scan at Roswell Park. The last one I had was in 2021 and at that time they said I didn’t need one for another five years. The eye problems changed that. I was able to get scheduled for a scan in a few weeks which is pretty good these days. So for the past several months I have been worrying about my eyes, thinking about potentially going blind and having the need for another brain surgery after 34 years. I really wasn’t thinking about cataracts but I should have been. My sisters have had cataract surgery in recent years. It’s in our genes just like the aneurysms.

So my brain scan is scheduled for tomorrow and then on Wednesday I will have a consultation with the PA from my neurosurgery team and review the scan.