Eye floaters...

[stroker]

The vision in my right eye has gone to crap in the last two weeks. Feels like I can't focus properly, strobing vertical white light at night in my peripheral vision, etc. The doc says it's age (62) and there isn't really much that can be done unless a retina detaches or something that can be corrected surgically.

Any suggestions?

[WickerBill]

Yes. Get a new doc. Get a second opinion. If it went downhill that fast, it isn't just age, something happened.

[nrc]

Yeah, I would talk to your regular doctor about it ASAP. I'm a complete non-expert but it sounds like those symptoms could be as much neurological as optical. You mention floaters which your eye doc may have honed in on, but it could just be that you're seeing them because of your focus problems.

It seems to me like vision shouldn't change suddenly without some better explanation than that. My vision has changed two clicks in five years. I certainly hope that 62 isn't the age where your vision goes to hell in just two weeks and that's "normal."

Let us know how you're doing.

[TravelGal]

Yes. Get a new doc. Get a second opinion. If it went downhill that fast, it isn't just age, something happened.

Exactly. What Stroker is describing is what I'm going through. I've had magic camera shots of my retina (both sides) and the back of my eye plus the optic nerve. No damage there but lots of new floaters. Something did happen. I tripped over a trailer hitch in a parking lot and went flying, banging my head on my arm. I'm the poster girl for concussion, they tell me. The retina slowly detaches with age but not all at one time, unless, to repeat, something happened.

[stroker]

Well, in all fairness, I started a new job about a month ago so I'm back to sitting behind a computer screen. It's possible that my vision has been deteriorating for some time but I finally noticed it within the last few weeks.

I've been seeing this doc for at least 20 years due to my diabetes. My last visit with him was in August and he's seen no significant change in my eyes for those last 20 years, either in my ability to read the charts or for myopathy.

While the nighttime "strobing" is annoying it's the transparent "gummy worms" floating through my vision that annoy the piss out of me.

Anyway, I appreciate your advice. Now that I've got health insurance again, if it gets worse I'll get a second opinion.

[WickerBill]

I'm going to continue to advocate for you seeing someone else, even just once. Twenty years with one doc is a long time to not have another opinion. I'm a "veteran" of five eye surgeries. You can't replace them. Please don't wait and hope.

[nissan gtp]

Find a retina specialist ASAP. If you have a problem, it will only get worse. As ^WickerBill said, you can't replace them.

[Elmo T]

I've had the floaters - but it was a gradual thing. Eye doc says something about vitreous parts in eye aging and it is relatively normal. He also said and always tells me ANY time there is a noticeable change in anything eye related - vision, pain, whatever - that is a "go to eye doc immediately" situation.

[WickerBill]

Then I wake up and see my very first eye floater meme this morning. The internet is weird.

http://www.dumpaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/z-memes-15-12.jpg