Eye appointment today, question...

Hi All,

Went to the eye doc today because my close vision has gotten worse since my last LP.

After my exam doc tells me that more than likely the last steroids I was on took care of inflammation and when that went down, my vision changed because the lense
re-adjusted (less swelling in the eye).

She also said that I have started to develope a cataract in my left eye (maybe from the steroids).

I am going back next week for a visual fields test to see if I am having any problems related to MS and my Optic Nerve Dreusen.

Was wondering if anyone else has cataracts or has the beginings of them?

Thanks!

[SNOOPY]

Was wondering if anyone else has cataracts or has the beginnings of them?
Thanks!

Hi Wobbler,

Yes, I have cataracts.

My cataracts are NOT related to MS or steroids -- I have congenital cataracts (I was born with them).

[SharonKY]

As we age the lens in the eye ages and becomes cloudy....cataracts. There are some medications or trauma that can cause them but in most of the general population, cataracts are a result of too many birthdays!

[Redwings]

Hi Wobbler:
Yes, I have the beginning of a cataract in each eye, and mine are entirely steroid-related. Considering that I've been fairly pickled in steroids over the years, it's a miracle that they aren't much worse.

The lens of the eye grows in layers, kind of like an onion. Each layer has its own kind(s) of cataract with its own characteristics. Typical age-related cataracts and the kind caused by steroids (and even congenital cataracts) look entirely different. It's the appearance of yours that told your eye doc that they're probably steroid-induced. Ask her what kind of cataract you have and that will tell you what its likely cause is.

Since you mentioned your visual field test, it's important to recognize what a tough spot you and your eye doc are in diagnostically. MS and optic nerve drusen can produce field defects that have no particular pattern, which means that they can look exactly the same. The result might be field defects that are impossible to tell apart. And if one cause can't be isolated from the other, the field can't be used to gauge the individual activity of either one.

Your situation is similar to that of someone who has field loss due to glaucoma and field loss due to optic neuritis. Although the loss due to glaucoma has typical patterns, loss to due optic neuritis can mimic parts of those patterns, making the two impossible to tell apart.

It will be interesting to see how your fields turn out and how your eye doc interprets them.

[gomer]

Hi Wobbler..........

I had FOUR cataracts removed in late 2007. I had a regular 2-many-Bdays and a diabetic cataract in each eye.

Thanks implants my vision is much better than it was.

Doc Gomer Doctor of, Been There, Done That.