I have been reading on here where some ataxians have problems with their vision. If you have or have had these kind of issues could you give me some idea of what type of vision issues occur with ataxia?
Hi
These are mine
Sensitivity to light
Nystagmus, causing doublevision
Inability to focus
Inability to focus at the usual speed
Lights in vision
Patchy focus
Lack of perception, ie steps or drops before you
And Im sure otherthings I have not had yet
Yes.. all of those. Could be described as flicker which I only notice when looking at crosswords. However, neurologist mentioned he could see it when shining torch in my eyes.
I also find that I dont look up when concentrating on walking and this causes lack of light.. when you stop and look up, it is like someone turned the light on.
Hiya!
Me too, all of the above, cant look up either for fear of falling, sometimes I am falling and don't realize if I have turned to quickly. xxx
SCA 7 has retinal deterioration as well as cerabellar so in our case it’s light sensitively as well as patchy vision and color blindness. It all came on fast, in probably four years but has stabilized with no changes in a year now. Legally blind at this point though
Should have put vertigo and fallingt as well
Bob
Hi
Yes I agree with everyone that has replied to you so far. I too suffer with most of Bobs symptoms apart from sensititivity to light, hope this helps.
I have a cataract on one eye, (not ready to remove yet) so am not sure what is caused by it and what is due to Ataxia, but I sometimes can read the song numbers on the board at the church building and sometime they are very blurry and unfocused. Words on the TV are blurry and when I look up from crotcheting or close work, the TV is completely out of focus. Sometimes things are double. I have to really work to read at times. I watched myself in a mirror recently and could tell there was slight nystagmus--I could tell the eyeballs were moving around some but not like some videos I've seen of people with nystagmus. Maybe It's not something one can observe like that and I just thought I saw it!
I had an exam with a new eye dr. This quack talked me into prism lenses saying he could "CURE" my ataxia. He sounded like he had discovered a miracle & if it worked he'd be written up in medical journals. When I got the new glasses- surprise-------no changes.
My PCP suggested a prism, but the opthomologist said nothing wrong w/glasses and put vision problems off on cataract. I think both were groping at straws.
Mine is much more complicated. I think I did write about it on this site. Anyway my vision changes many times in one day. I have at least 8 pairs of glasses. I keep changing them according to my sight. I am also colour blind. The optician had to put a yellow tint on my glasses. My worst problem is my night blindness. I can be completely blind at night. My ophtalmologist at Royal Free Hospital says that nothing can be done about it. I have to learn to live with it.
I'm so glad to have read this discussion, I told my Dr that I didn't have problems with my eyes because I believed he meant double vision, but I have suffered lights in my vision, blurred vision, the inability to focus and a loss of perception. I only really happens with an attack but I thought it was because I was exhausted and my eyes had become dry and tired. Now I know it part and parcel of this lovely Ataxia.
I know this is no real help to you but it has helped me and I've realised very quickly that this site helps us to understand our diagnosis.
Deb
I have blurry vision, double vision, sensitivity to light, perception problems, especially when walking, as I tend to look down to see where my feet are, so I don't fall. If I'm crossing a road, I need to stop moving, and look both ways, as I can't move (walk) and look at the same time, multitasking is a thing of the past for me...,ha! Hope this helps...,;o)
I've had an eye condition called Iritis, quite severely. It was originally misdiagnosed
by my GP because it can look like Conjunctivitis. The pupil in my left eye is partially
stuck to the back of my eye, causing double vision. This is not to be confused with
the double vision sometimes brought on with Ataxia. I have downbeat Nystagmus,
sensitivity to light but also difficulty with perception in poor light.
Since 1999 I've been treated for this condition at Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary,
my consultant is Miss Dayan. In January she'll inject Botox into the muscle of my
eye in order to correct focus.
Currently, I have glasses with prisms, and also contact lenses. Both eliminate
double vision, but both have drawbacks. The glasses are fine as long as I look
straight ahead and am sitting. Walking causes the pupil to bounce against the
prisms which can make me dizzy, and balance worse. The contact lenses are
both different, a variofocal for my right eye and a partial occlusal for the left, to
stop light and double vision. I must wear either the glasses or the lenses.
The biggest problem I have is getting the lenses out, my fingers aren't as
nimble as they used to be. xB
I have loads of problems with my vision but, like the reply above, doing certain things, at the same time as other things. Sometimes!
I have most of your symptoms granny h except no cataracts. So must be ataxia too.
granny h said:
I have a cataract on one eye, (not ready to remove yet) so am not sure what is caused by it and what is due to Ataxia, but I sometimes can read the song numbers on the board at the church building and sometime they are very blurry and unfocused. Words on the TV are blurry and when I look up from crotcheting or close work, the TV is completely out of focus. Sometimes things are double. I have to really work to read at times. I watched myself in a mirror recently and could tell there was slight nystagmus--I could tell the eyeballs were moving around some but not like some videos I've seen of people with nystagmus. Maybe It's not something one can observe like that and I just thought I saw it!
Badam pak , some suppliments , including bill berry , lutein for eyes and some herbs might help in slowing the progression of sca 7 !!
Thanks
Ahh Botox. This is where, a little knowledge on my part, could be a dangerous thing. About 20 years ago, I had Botox injections in my foot. Obviously, this was a long time ago, etc. It's paralysing powers, to muscles must be well known to health professionals by now, And to cut a long story short, one thing that surely hasn't changed, is its temporary nature. Six weeks, rings a bell.
Beryl Park said:
I've had an eye condition called Iritis, quite severely. It was originally misdiagnosed
by my GP because it can look like Conjunctivitis. The pupil in my left eye is partially
stuck to the back of my eye, causing double vision. This is not to be confused with
the double vision sometimes brought on with Ataxia. I have downbeat Nystagmus,
sensitivity to light but also difficulty with perception in poor light.
Since 1999 I've been treated for this condition at Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary,
my consultant is Miss Dayan. In January she'll inject Botox into the muscle of my
eye in order to correct focus.
Currently, I have glasses with prisms, and also contact lenses. Both eliminate
double vision, but both have drawbacks. The glasses are fine as long as I look
straight ahead and am sitting. Walking causes the pupil to bounce against the
prisms which can make me dizzy, and balance worse. The contact lenses are
both different, a variofocal for my right eye and a partial occlusal for the left, to
stop light and double vision. I must wear either the glasses or the lenses.
The biggest problem I have is getting the lenses out, my fingers aren't as
nimble as they used to be. xB
I am getting cataract surgery on my right eye November 11th. followed by the other eye. I don’t know if it is related to my SCA I hope the vision will improve after the surgery.