# Weird vision



## skimordiegirl (Mar 10, 2011)

Does anyone else have strange vision with their thyroid problems. On top of the photophobia, I see lights that last in my vision longer than most people. If I look at a computer screen and look away, I still see the outline of the screen in my vision. Same with anything bright, light on dark, dark on light, etc. I have grave's.

My antibodies are <1,000.

TSH 0.02 (they just increased my meds because of this)

Total T3 100
Free T3 3.4
Free T4 1.3

I have one slightly buldging eye, but not very noticable. I am not finding many people with these symptoms.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

skimordiegirl said:


> Does anyone else have strange vision with their thyroid problems. On top of the photophobia, I see lights that last in my vision longer than most people. If I look at a computer screen and look away, I still see the outline of the screen in my vision. Same with anything bright, light on dark, dark on light, etc. I have grave's.
> 
> My antibodies are <1,000.
> 
> ...


Oh, goodness. Well...............you will find Graves patients here for sure! I hope you are seeing a Board Certified Ophthalmologist? The eyes must be treated independently of the thyroid.

What med are you on at this time? What antibodies are <1000? In the future, ranges would be good as different labs use different ranges.

Here is info for the eyes. Your symptoms are very typical of GED.

Graves' Eye Disease
http://www.kellogg.umich.edu/patientcare/conditions/graves.disease.html

Welcome to the board!


----------



## desrtbloom (May 23, 2010)

Hi -

I have Graves' and my vision is bad. I have five different strengths of glasses depending on my vision that day. I also have issues at times with looking at the computer screen for a long time and then adjusting my vision back. Sometimes I start out my day with 125 strength reading glasses and by the end of the day can be using 200 strength. Just depends on the day and whether or not I am spending a lot of time staring at my computer screen.

Patti


----------



## skimordiegirl (Mar 10, 2011)

Hi,

I am sorry, I meant that my thyroid antibodies were >1,000. *TPO I think it's called.

I have gone to the opthamologist and they say nothing is wrong with my eyes. All of them have said that. I can't find one who specializes in graves. Maybe someone on here knows? I live near Sarasota Florida

Thanks,
Candi


----------



## laurahill (Feb 16, 2011)

I also have been heard that thyroid may responsible for causing thyroid eye problems.It is inflammatory condition which related with the eye muscles.
Vitamin A,B and C are very important for such type of eye problems.


----------



## Thyroidmommy (Mar 25, 2011)

I have weird eye problems also, I have hashimotos. Do you get headaches from your eye problems?


----------



## Kendak (Jan 25, 2011)

Hi:
I also have vision problems and cant seem to focus. My contact lens prescription has changed and they said I should have my eyes retested every 3 months, because they could change that quickly. I am in the waiting process (after RAI) to go hypo. When I was at the worst with my graves (a couple months ago), I had the same freaky things happen. I was in the shower one morning, and washing my face, and by just by rubbing over my eyes, I got these weird flashing lights, plain water even hurt if it got in my eyes. I was always puffy around the tops and bottoms of my eyes like water bags. The fluid is getting better as my numbers go down. I am just sooooo afraid of my eyes protruding. My endo did measure them and got a baseline to go from. That's my story, hope it helps others.

Patti


----------



## skimordiegirl (Mar 10, 2011)

I see the flashing in my eyes 24/7, more so in the upper 1/2 of my vision.

Yup I have headaches daily with my vision stuff


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

skimordiegirl said:


> Does anyone else have strange vision with their thyroid problems. On top of the photophobia, I see lights that last in my vision longer than most people. If I look at a computer screen and look away, I still see the outline of the screen in my vision. Same with anything bright, light on dark, dark on light, etc. I have grave's.
> 
> My antibodies are <1,000.
> 
> ...


What is your diagnosis? Would you please re-post your lab results with the ranges?

Have you seen an ophthalmologist?


----------



## skimordiegirl (Mar 10, 2011)

Hi Andros,

Sorry it took so long to respond... i forgot all about this post.

These were all done by Quest Diagnostics:

I will have my new ones Friday, but here were my others one I first commented on.

TPA - Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies - >1,000 range should be (<35)
Thyroglobulin antibodies <20 (normal at <20)
TSH 1.46 (normal 0.40 - 4.50)
T4 Free 0.9 (0.8 - 1.8 is normal)
T3 Total 90 (76 - 181 normal)
TSI says pending, so I am not sure what happened with that one, but will post on Friday.

So the afterimages can be a normal symptom of TED? I have only found a few people with thyroid disorders who have it.... why isn't it that common? What could be causing this inside my eye that the Opthamologist isn't seeing. They said the vessels in my eyes were slightly swollen, but he did not want to give me steroid eye drops. My vision is way worse at night now... it looks like static you would see on a tv channel with bad reception. It's making me very depressed.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

skimordiegirl said:


> Hi Andros,
> 
> Sorry it took so long to respond... i forgot all about this post.
> 
> ...


Your Ophthalmologist sees no benefit to giving you steroid drops to slow down or even stop the interoccular swelling that is consticting your optic nerve thus causing you loss of vision? Someone please pick me up off the floor.

Can you find a different Ophthalmogist?

Treatment
Unfortunately, there is no satisfactory treatment. Because hyperthyroidism seems to influence the eye disease, it is very important to treat the hyperthyroidism quickly and effectively but to avoid hypothyroidism, which also harms the eyes. In most patients, the eyes tend to get somewhat better when the thyroid abnormality has been treated.

In a few patients, the condition progresses regardless of what is done to the thyroid gland. These patients must be treated with strong drugs such as steroids or immunosuppressive drugs to prevent the unlikely occurrence of optic nerve swelling and blindness. Currently, intravenous corticosteroids are favoured over oral administration of this type of medication because they are more effective and have fewer side effects. If these measures do not work, it may be necessary to relieve pressure in the orbit by removing part of the tissue either by operation or by treating the eyes with external beam radiotherapy (X-rays). Both treatments reduce the pressure on the eyeball and the surrounding orbital tissues and prevent permanent optic nerve damage.

http://www.thyroid.ca/ophthalmopathy.php

And I hope you are doing home care? Lubricating drops by day, lacrilube by night, cooling ice packs on the peri-orbital area, sleeping with head slightly elevated, wrap-around sun glasses etc.?


----------



## skimordiegirl (Mar 10, 2011)

Hi Andros,

He doesn't think my static type vision, afterimages, halos, etc are related to my TED and says my TED isn't that bad. Slight bulge in left eye and some vessel swelling. I can't find where these are normal TED symptoms either 

My TSI, per Quest Diagnostic says 201 H I am assuming H is for high, but it only says <140% baseline as the reference range and I do not know what that means.

My only option now is TT and my doc said no RAI. It's been 10 years on medicine which worked fine for years, but now it isn't touching the antibodies. Can antibodies do this to my vision?

I do lots of gel drops daily, probably 7 x or more, then ointment at night. I have tried elevating my head, but it makes my daily headache worse. I can not lay on my back as I feel like I can not breathe and can sometimes hear myself talk strangely, like my thyroid is smothering me... very strange lol. My thyroid is very inflamed and double normal size with nodules and also my thyroid is starting to grow extra tissue off to te side of the thyroid. Something my specialist said isn't too common in her office, but was fascinated by it.

My opthamolist is convinced I have occipital neuralgia and continues to put steroid shots in my head, which helps to not feel the headache, but it is not helping with the vision stuff.

Thanks for your replies!


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

skimordiegirl said:


> Hi Andros,
> 
> He doesn't think my static type vision, afterimages, halos, etc are related to my TED and says my TED isn't that bad. Slight bulge in left eye and some vessel swelling. I can't find where these are normal TED symptoms either
> 
> ...


There is not such thing as normal TED/GED. Lord have mercy!

Yes; honey bunny! Get it out and then when you get on thyroxine replacement, it will be important to keep your TSH suppressed with your FT3 and FT4 in a good range in order to keep the antibodies quiet.

How soon can you have this surgery?

You are good on the home care. Don't forget to put a soft towel over your eyes and an ice-bag on that when you have time. It helps a lot.

Not fond of your ophthalmologist at all. Sorry to say.

I am quite worried for you and have been since you joined.


----------



## skimordiegirl (Mar 10, 2011)

:hugs: Hi Andros!!

Thank you for the reassurance! I just made my appointment Friday for the consult with the surgeon. I am going to post my new labs with the news I received Friday, It's quite interesting and I am kind of shocked.

I did a cold pack 2 nights ago and it felt great. I am going to do it again tonight.

I decided not to go back to the opthamologist. My new Dr. is recommending one other dr. and said if he can not help that I need to make an appt. to go to the Mayo clinic and see their opthamologist. It's 8 hours away from me, so I'd love if the one here could help lol.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

skimordiegirl said:


> :hugs: Hi Andros!!
> 
> Thank you for the reassurance! I just made my appointment Friday for the consult with the surgeon. I am going to post my new labs with the news I received Friday, It's quite interesting and I am kind of shocked.
> 
> ...


Very excellent; 2 very good things have fallen into place here and I am happy to hear it. I have been very worried about your situation.

Will look forward to your lab results and ranges. Also, hurry up Friday! Whooooooooooohoo!

Glad you are icing down. It is sooooooooooo soothing and does reduce the periorbital swelling.


----------



## skimordiegirl (Mar 10, 2011)

Hmmphhh well I swear I posted my new labs in the graves area, but it never showed up lol. I am at work now, but will post it tonight for you, with the news :hugs:


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

skimordiegirl said:


> Hmmphhh well I swear I posted my new labs in the graves area, but it never showed up lol. I am at work now, but will post it tonight for you, with the news :hugs:


Roger that!


----------

