eye problems & arthritis - updated!

Wonkylegs

Hi peeps

I know there have been other posts about eye problems associated with arthritis (and in particular RA which I have) but I know also that some meds can have eye implications.

This last week I have felt like my eyes are straining and screen work of any kind (computer, mobile phone, TV etc) all seem to be making this worse. I know I'm a bit tired, but not that much, and I'm having to change screen settings because the light seems to be too bright all of a sudden. I can't in all honesty blame it all on the new forum

Just wondered if any of this is likely to be because of the steroids I've been taking :? :? although there isn't much mention in the leaflet about eye problems.

I'll probably pop into the opticians on Friday when I'm in town and see if they think I need an earlier sight test. Hope I dont' need new specs, as this last lot cost a fortune!

thanks
WONky

dreamdaisy

I hope this follows the forum rules. I have been on steroids for three years and ten months and yes, my eyesight has declined in that time but my optician says 'It's your age.' That dread phrase. He does not think that the steroids are implicated in anyway, but having said that he ain't a doc. I can no longer read my mobile screen without specs, certainly can't read without them, but don't need them for the telly. If you are due an eye test then I think you should have one- I go every year now, having achieved the stately age of 51. My old pairs of glasses are littered around the house so that I always have some to hand, and I now have to take a pair out with me as a matter of routine. Aging. It's a gas. DD

julie47

Hi wonky

I am always complaining about my eyes and cant see the mobile any more and the comp I always have to blink to re focus.
I have been threatening to go have mine tested but don't seem to do it. Too much trouble at the mo with all other apps. I know its no excuse and i wil do it soon.
I always had 20 20 vision but last time i went i was told they are not bad for your age. 47 :shock: the test done by a 20 plus year old. :x I bought some of them cheap glasses and they are quite good. can see great with em for reading but blurred as heck when loking at objects.

Hope you get yours sorted
Let us know
take care
juliepf x

frogmorton

Hope this does not offend any rules too!!! Gosh!

Wonky I have naff eyesight now too

as soon as i hit 40 it happened and I have reading specs and also an antiglare filter on them.

Love

Toni xx(speccy four eyes)

skezier

Hi Wonky,

Oh flower eyes and arthritis./....I have this theory

Steroid is something they use to treat whats wrong with my eyes so I don't know if that would indicate its unlikely? They did say mtx works better... well my right eye is shot through completely just now so not sure that's true either :roll:

There is a link with some of the drugs and eyes but they do tend to keep a good watch out for that one...... Wonky some of it could be cus your getting older? They tell me some of mine is that now. To do with the retainers and the gel going hard..... Though mine are also semi detached.......Is that better than terraced do you think! Do you want me to shut up?!

The red thing is related to the arthritis, also in my case the crohns, the dry eye is but the over all eye thing.... I wonder how many of us do have problematical eyes?

Could you send me down Little legs please? She need to bark at my right eye and kick me up the backside so I stop feeling sorry for my self :roll:

He send slurps and will be with you on Friday cas he wants to bark at your eye test and fingers crossed they can help you. (((( )))) Love a visually impaired Cris xx

hileena111

Hi, I've read posts about arthur and eyes as well.....but my complaint at the minute is that they are watering constantly....this has just happened [month ago maybe} I've had 2 cateract ops and wear reading glasses......sorry Wonky for hi jacking your post

Love
Hileena

c4thyg

Hi Wonky,

Steroids seriously screwed up my eyesight last year. It sounds exactly like you have described. I couldn't even get through an eye test my eyes were so tired. The good news is that once I got off the steroids my eye sight slowly returned to normal.

Cath

dreamdaisy

Hi hileena, you poor thing, what a trial. I do not intend to sound alarmist in any way but it may be sensible to go and see your doc (or optician) and be checked out for wet macular degeneration. My mum was recently diagnosed, she is now on tablets and they have made all the difference.

Sorry wonky, I didn't mean to hijack further but often a thread on one thing starts another train of thought! I hope all is as well with you today as it can be. DD

Wonkylegs

HI

Hileena - sorry to hear about your problem. I would say it is never a wasted journey to either your GP or optician to check out anything to do with eyes.

Cathy - interesting to hear about your experiences. I'm off for eye test on Tuesday afternoon, and am already seeing my GP for something else on Wednesday, so I'll be sure and ask them.

DD - thanks for asking .... as you see I'm going on TUesday for a sight test - was due to go in January it appears, so not that far from now!

as for hijacking threads - that's the fun of the forum!!!

WOnky

c4thyg

Wonkylegs wrote:

HI

Hileena - sorry to hear about your problem. I would say it is never a wasted journey to either your GP or optician to check out anything to do with eyes.

Cathy - interesting to hear about your experiences. I'm off for eye test on Tuesday afternoon, and am already seeing my GP for something else on Wednesday, so I'll be sure and ask them.

DD - thanks for asking .... as you see I'm going on TUesday for a sight test - was due to go in January it appears, so not that far from now!

as for hijacking threads - that's the fun of the forum!!!

WOnky

Wonky,

It might be worth me saying that the dose of pred I was on was 60mg per day so that might have been why I had these problems. Then again, from what I understand the length of time you're on pred is just as important as the dose.
Good luck.

hileena111

Hi, Yes I got to our Shopping Center...an opticians there....been going for years......thought I might pop in the next time I'm there and make an appointment
Hileena

tillytop

Hi Wonky

Do you feel that your eyes feel dry? I have dry eyes and they can feel strained when using the pc for a while or reading for long periods.

There is an auto-immune thingy which sometimes occurs secondary to RA called Sjorgrens Syndrom which affects the tear ducts and salivary glands, causing, amongst other things, dry eyes and dry mouth. I have been having eye problems recently which are apparently caused by dry eyes and the doctor has prescribed "artificial tears" in the form of eye drops and some eye-cream to use at night. These do help to some extent.

I think it would be worth mentioning your concerns to an optician or to the GP to see what they say because, as I found recently, the front of your eyes can become scratched if they are not well enough lubricated and this can significantly affect your vision (albeit temporarily). It happened to me even though I was not aware of my eyes being particularly dry.

Hope you get it sorted.

Love Tilly xxx

Wonkylegs

HI Tilly

thanks for mentioning about the dry eyes and mouth - I did know that these could go hand in hand with RA, as a friend of mine has sjorgrens (sp?) but my mouth certainly isn't dry, although it may be interesting to see what they say about my eyes, as sometimes they do feel gritty and a little dry. hmmm :? please not something else to add to the list!!!

I have not been on steroids for long, and only at 10mg max, though I'm down to 5mg now, and really feeling the loss :roll:

Roll on 13th December and the Infliximab infusion, in the hope that it will start to get arthur by the throat

thanks again everyone
WONky

bubbles

Hi WOnky,
I can go with the changes in eyesight, particularly my right eye. I keep mentioning it to the GP and complaining to myself and OH about it, saying "I must go to the Optician" and never do. I do have to keep re-focussing on things and struggle with PC screens.

I think the drugs, or the combination of drugs, certainly has an effect on ones eyesight, as for a direct link with RA or OA, I will have to read up any research on that one.

Dry eyes, oh yes, big time, again, the GP said that is due to the medication and I use gel tears to alleviate them.

The more tired I am, the more things go out of focus. I know that I will have to go and get them tested asap, to see what is going on. XX Bubbles

hileena111

Hi, I was near the optician that I use and I thought....it cant be long until my appointment is due so I called in and they saw me about 30mins later. She said I had very dry eyes especially the right one thats why they were watering so much....Who's the Irish one here LOL she suggested I go to my GP and ask for drops and say that she had said I needed them. She then said ask the pharmicist if I couldnt get to the GP and try what he said and if they worked tell the GP thats what I needed.
She didnt put a name to it but said it was a chrinic disease {another one} but could be controlled
Hileena

Wonkylegs

HI all

well, have been for my sight test and the good news is that I am not losing my mind there is/was a problem with my eyes.

Basically, I have two odd eyes one is more long-sighted and the other short-sighted, with the addition of a squint thrown in for good measure :roll: :roll: .

TOday shows that the good eye has got (slightly) worse, and the bad eye has got (slightly) better and that has been causing the eye strain. New specs will hopefully help with that though they will cost just over £200 :shock: Oh and in trying to mend the ones I have got ... they broke :shock: so I have got to be a bit careful for the next week or so thankfully though they are not held together Jack Duckworth style (elastoplast)

The gritty eye feeling, together with the light sensitivity, suggest that I have dry eyes, as several of you suggested. I now have artificial tears (1 drop in each eye 4 times a day) to try for 2 weeks to see if that helps. I can say after only 2 goes that they do seem to be helping. Need to remember to tell my GP tomorrow now :roll:

THis has shown me how useful it is for me to see the same optician each time ..... he knew what was going on quite quickly, and they really did look after me.

SO .... if I'm not around so much for the next week it will be because I'm saving my eyes from strain

thanks again everyone

WOnky

julie47

Well wonky you could have used a mickey mouse plaster rather than that blue one.

Anyway I am glad you have got the problem sorted and the fake tears are helping.

Was nice you could get to see the optition so quickly.

Hope you don't have to wait too long for your glasses.

Take care
Juliepf x

dreamdaisy

Well done, wonky, now you know and it's being sorted. I hope they do feel better soon. DD

salamander

Hi Wonky, I had problems last year with my eyes when I was first diagnosed (sero -ve). I am shortsighted and wear lenses/glasses and I couldn't focus properly when wearing them. Saw an optician whilst in hospital who confirmed this was due to arthritis. This sorted itself out with the steroids! Which it should do if it is treating the arthritis properly. He also recommended all kinds of eye drops which I mostly forget to use!

As for age related sight problems, being short sighted I don't get them as much as long sighted peeps - one of the few advantages! But other people will get them in 40's and early 50's. It's normal. I don't know your age but if you are in this age group an eye test will confirm or not.

hope this helps.
xx

hileena111

Hi Wonky,
Glad you got it sorted out and your not losing your mind LOL
You'll be sorted in no time now.....even if it does cost.

Love
Hileena