Help Please

[LostInSeattle]

Help someone please I have had MS for what seems like my entire life. These past few 5 or so I have been house bound. But! I can not take it any longer.
I have a car but don't see out my left eye well. I was looking on the web as to extra mirrors but I'm unsure what they are talking about. Any info would be most welcome.
Sincerely,
Susan Kay

[jreagan70]

I have a car but don't see out my left eye well. I was looking on the web as to extra mirrors but I'm unsure what they are talking about.

Hi Susan:

Mirrors don't do anything to help bad vision. A mirror for your bad left eye is not going to help your driving.

On your car, mirrors are for your better right eye, and you already have three mirrors for your right eye to use. It might just be that you could use some training in how to scan with your vision to use your right eye better with the mirrors you already have -- particularly your rear-view and the left mirror on the driver's side.

An optometrist can teach you how to better use your right eye for scanning into your existing mirrors and to see if an extra mirror might help. Ophthalmologists don't have the time or the ability to put up with the bad payment to work on functional vision issues. If you consult an ophthalmologist about your bad vision, s/he'll refer you to another professional for the functional evaluation anyway.

After an especially bad episode of optic neuritis, I lost a lot of visual field in my right eye. I had to learn how to scan more over to my right side to get my central right vision and my left eye over to the right side, the opposite of your situation.

There isn't any magic here. You'll have to actively work at learning how to do something new. You'll do best to be evaluated by an optometrist to see if you can learn how to use your existing vision better.

Unfortunately, it might be that your brain doesn't process visual information fast enough to help you with scanning, and you might not have the processing speed to be able to drive safely no matter what you see in your mirrors. But you deserve an evaluation by an optometrist to see what the possibilities are. Good luck!

[LostInSeattle]

Thank you

Sorry I'm so slow in my response I have been very busy with Dr's and etc.
Thank you very much for your advice I will try to explain to my I doctor.
I have another problem, we have been under a lot of stress as we need to reside our home...all of it. Not only is this costing a lot but the stress between the two of us has also escalated! Is there any options to help us deal?
Again thank you for responding I will check back sooner from now in the future.
Sincerely,
Susan Kay

[Tia1]

Hi Kay, I don't have any useful information about your situation, but I wanted you to know that I was thinking of you and just prayed for you.

[jreagan70]

the stress between the two of us has also escalated! Is there any options to help us deal?

Hi Susan:
For many people who are overwhelmed by stress, they don't realize, have a hard time understanding, or outright reject the fact that they themselves hold the answer to controlling their own stress.

There are some things that you can do yourself, on your own time, in your own home, to learn how to control your stress.

1. Learn how to meditate. It can teach you how to quiet your mind and release your stress. There are hundreds of sites on the Internet that can teach you how to meditate. There are different kinds of meditation, but you can start as simply as sitting quietly for 10 minutes without distraction and focusing on -- yes, focusing on, not blissing out, because that's not going to happen -- the sound of your own breathing and letting all of your other thoughts pass by like clouds or birds in flight. You can search for techniques teaching progressive relaxation. You can learn mindfulness meditation, which a couple of small studies has shown to be beneficial for people with MS.
   
   Just try one technique and commit to it for a couple of weeks. You don't have to stop your thoughts -- just switch you thoughts to something that feels better -- like changing the subject if some else tries to start a discussion you don't want to get into. Except this time you'll be changing the subject with yourself.
2. You can try tapping. Tapping on energy meridian points in the evolution of the emotional freedom technique (EFT). Google The Tapping Solution and try some of their tapping meditations. Then you can try some other tapping sites and videos.
3. Get enough restful sleep and cut out processed foods. Your body can't be calm if it's upset from poor fuel and lack of sleep.
4. This, you'll need help with. If you're not doing so well with at-home techniques, you might benefit from going to therapy with a mental health professional for awhile to learn stress-control and coping techniques.

Good luck! It will take some work to learn how to calm yourself and stop reacting to something your husband says or does that might push your buttons. You're in control of your own thoughts and your own actions, so by learning and practicing some new techniques until they become habits, you can do it!

[LostInSeattle]

Hi

Thank you! I copied and pasted your response as it seemed to calm my mind.
I'm not familiar with msg boards but will work on it.
Sincerely,
Susan

[LostInSeattle]

Thanks

Hi Susan:

Mirrors don't do anything to help bad vision. A mirror for your bad left eye is not going to help your driving.

On your car, mirrors are for your better right eye, and you already have three mirrors for your right eye to use. It might just be that you could use some training in how to scan with your vision to use your right eye better with the mirrors you already have -- particularly your rear-view and the left mirror on the driver's side.

An optometrist can teach you how to better use your right eye for scanning into your existing mirrors and to see if an extra mirror might help. Ophthalmologists don't have the time or the ability to put up with the bad payment to work on functional vision issues. If you consult an ophthalmologist about your bad vision, s/he'll refer you to another professional for the functional evaluation anyway.

After an especially bad episode of optic neuritis, I lost a lot of visual field in my right eye. I had to learn how to scan more over to my right side to get my central right vision and my left eye over to the right side, the opposite of your situation.

There isn't any magic here. You'll have to actively work at learning how to do something new. You'll do best to be evaluated by an optometrist to see if you can learn how to use your existing vision better.

Unfortunately, it might be that your brain doesn't process visual information fast enough to help you with scanning, and you might not have the processing speed to be able to drive safely no matter what you see in your mirrors. But you deserve an evaluation by an optometrist to see what the possibilities are. Good luck!

Thank you very much, I thought this would be the case. I will work on it slowly as I think it's the safest way to go at it.
Sincerely,
Susan Kay