Em sees the eye doctor once a year, as is recommended for EDSers. This time it got stretched out to more like 18 months because we ended up having to see a new doctor (this is her 4th OD, we have liked most of them and we really liked the new one) and had a wait until she was able to take our insurance. The wait was not a big deal, but with all of the issues Em has been having (particularly the vision issues and possible migraine symptoms that have developed) the timing of this appointment yesterday was pretty good.
For better or worse, Em said her eyes were as bad as they had ever been yesterday so the timing was great to have them really see what she was experiencing. Her vision has definitely worsened since the concussion and then there was this weird thing of floating black spots that she has complained about.
Anyway, the docs in this practice have always been good about doing a thorough exam and the new doctor was no exception. We were actually there for a good 2 hours – even for an exam including dilation, that is a long time. There were some issues found.
- There is some cloudiness on both lenses. This has developed since her last exam and the cloudiness seen is more than expected. The doctor said it is not affecting her vision yet, but, and I quote, “she may need cataract surgery sooner rather than later”. What?? She isn’t even 18. I don’t even know what to think about this, honestly. (I’ve seen various positions on whether this is an EDS thing or not but haven’t found anything conclusive yet.) The doctor said it is not a big deal and we will just keep an eye on it but it feels a little freaky to me.
- Her complaints of double vision are real. We are being referred to another Dr in the group who will evaluate her further and hopefully address the convergence issues that have worsened. It was already an issue (no one has ever followed through with dealing with it) but the concussion probably has brought it to a serious head. They are trying to get her in asap but there will likely be a bit of a wait. Should know soon.
- Her vision complaints (the black spots, the black line that appears during her migraine like headaches) are likely not in the eye but rather in the visual pathway in the brain. This is very possibly from the concussion, although, these were issues before the concussion. They did a scan of her retina, mainly for a baseline for future use, and it was fine. Excellent even, so that was good news.
- The doctor said it was a very good idea to have her worked up for migraines, considering the visual symptoms Em described. (To which I say, “na na na na boo boo” to the neurologist who ignored these symptoms. Not very mature, I suppose but so be it!)
Hopefully we can get her some relief on this – she is having an increasingly difficult time reading and functioning. I don’t even know what to think about the cataract issue but I am very glad she is in competent hands who are taking her seriously.
