OT Vision in right eye changes from day to day

[newyorknative]

I know this is off topic, but I have a strange problem where my "prescription" changes in my right eye from day to day and even during the day. sometimes I see better at a distance while looking thru the tops of my bifocals and sometimes distant viewing is clear looking the bottom half. Sometimes either is out of focus. I am 60. It has been going on for a few years but seems to be getting worse. I have an appt with an Opthamologist in January, but was wondering if anyone has this problem. I am not a diabetic.

[kteague]

My vision changes depending on my eye pressures. I have glaucoma, but I think eye pressures can fluctuate even without that diagnosis.

[Lizistired]

I have been having the same problem. I use 3 different strengths of readers at various times. I was hoping maybe it was sleep related... Guess I better make an appointment.

[Goofproof]

Mine changes 3 or 4 times a day due to varying blood sugar levels. When I behave (keep them low) things are better. I also use different strength readers as needed. Jim

[Laurie1041]

I know this is off topic, but I have a strange problem where my "prescription" changes in my right eye from day to day and even during the day. sometimes I see better at a distance while looking thru the tops of my bifocals and sometimes distant viewing is clear looking the bottom half. Sometimes either is out of focus. I am 60. It has been going on for a few years but seems to be getting worse. I have an appt with an Opthamologist in January, but was wondering if anyone has this problem. I am not a diabetic.

I am glad to hear that you have an appointment with your eye doctor next month. It is very possible that you have a cataract. For more information concerning this very common problem in "aging" adults, please read: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cataracts/DS00050. As a reminder to all forum members, it is very important to see an Ophthalmologist as opposed to an Optometrist for any eye problems other than getting an Rx for glasses and/or contact lenses. It is important to get an annual eye exam to check vision, field vision, eye pressure, and optic nerve health.

What are the differences between an Ophthalmologist and an Optometrist?

An ophthalmologist is a Medical Doctor who has an M.D. degree. That means he or she has gone through four years of medical school and at least one year of post-graduate general medical and surgical training and is a fully trained physician who has then gone on to specialize in treatment of eye diseases by doing at least three years of extra training in ophthalmology. An ophthalmologist is, therefore, fully trained in all aspects of medical and surgical diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases and has as well a complete background in general medicine.

An optometrist has a Doctor of Optometry degree from an optometry school which is usually four years of training in examining the eyes and treating certain types of visual and eye disorders. They do not have any background in general medicine, nor do they have any training in surgical management of eye diseases. They generally have some training in medical treatment, but it varies a great deal.

As a general rule, if you have nothing medically wrong with your eyes and just need glasses or contact lenses or general routine eye check-ups, an optometrist can provide that service. If you have anything actually wrong with your eyes or have a significant eye or general medical problem, it is better to see an ophthalmologist. Elliot Werner, M.D.
Retrieved December 19, 2010 http://en.allexperts.com/q/Ophthalmolog ... logist.htm

[JohnBFisher]

As is always the case, it depends on the doctors involved. My optometrist is more thurough in his exam of my eyes that most Opthamologists. He goes so far as to use digital images of my retinas to be certain there are no changes from year to year. He is remarkable.

But I do use an opthamologist. And even a neuro-opthamologist as needed.

As others have noted fairly rapid changes in vision can have many sources. Do have your blood sugar levels checked. Not just your current numbers, but you should have your Hemoglobin A1c levels checked. Vision issues can be a sign of diabetes. Since it's just one eye, it is less likely that is the cause.

Glaucoma and cataracts are two other issues, though cataracts also tend to not change from day to day.

But definitely be certain to mention the problem to your eye doctor. If you feel the doctor has "blown off" the complaint, then see an opthamologist and/or another doctor. You don't want irreversible damage to occur.

Best wshes!

[PST]

I have another possibility to throw out. I was diagnosed this summer with a malady of the cornea called map-dot-fingerprint dystrophy (or, much less colorfully, epithelial basement membrane dystrophy). It is a thickening and disorganization of the outer layer of the cornea and can lead to recurring erosions of the surface of the cornea. The name comes from the appearance of the cornea when examined through a slit lamp, with lines that look to some imaginative ophthalmologists like the outlines of continents on a map, clusters of dots, and parallel lines like the whorls of a fingerprint. By affecting the curvature of the cornea, these can change refraction and result in what seems like a shifting prescription plus irregular astigmatism. I always thought that the lens of the eye provided for focus on the retina, but I found out that the cornea actually does the heavy lifting, while the lens is more for fine tuning. That's why LASIK surgery works: change the shape of the cornea and you change the focal distance of your eye. That's bad when the cornea is undergoing subtle changes on its own. Other signs of the condition include sensitivity to light, glare around bright objects at night, and at its worst a fuzziness that glasses can't fix.

Map-dot-fingerprint is rather common but usually not symptomatic. My ophthalmologist thinks that drying of my eyes from mask leaks exacerbated the condition. The news is not all bad. Map-dot-fingerprint is fluctuating rather than progressive and can be treated. The standard treatments for mild cases are eye drops and a salve that the doctor described as "hypertonic." Unfortunately, that turns out to be a fancy word for salty. The saltiness helps pull moisture out of the cornea. The salve is unpleasant. It is about the color and texture of model airplane cement and comes in the same kind of metal tube. It is essentially Vaseline with salt in it. You squeeze a little into the eyes before bedtime. It stings less than the drops, but it's a mess if you miss you eyeball and get it on your lashes, and the whole idea of squeezing goo into your eye is gross. It does, however, prevent drying of the eyes from mask leaks or other sources of nighttime airflow over the eye.

I feel much better now that I have a name for my condition, know that it isn't leading to something worse, and can treat the flair-ups. Map-dot-fingerprint can lead to painful corneal scratches. I went through that once (leading to me diagnosis) and I wouldn't want that again, even though I did get to walk around with an eye patch and say "yarr" for a couple of days. It is just speculation that this might be what newyorknative has, but it may be worth mentioning CPAP to the eye doctor and asking about it.

[newyorknative]

I appreciate all of the advice and comments here. I do have an appointment late next month with an Opthomologist. It is definitely a mystery to me as to what is going on. I also have a problem which probably is not related, but I wake up after several hours of sleep with my eyes glazed over. In other words, they are in a total fog like appearance (from the inside looking out) where I have to spray them with saline and blink a few times to get them to clear. That has been going on for years. I was diagnosed with a mild cataract but I don't think that would cause a focusing problem that would change hourly or daily. Hopefully, the doc will be able to sort it all out.