Any longhaulers noticing vision changes?

Posted by holly1972 @holly197205, Aug 24, 2022

Has anyone noticed vision changes who are long haulers ? I have astigmatism and have worn contacts for probably 25 years,however I was just beginnig to need a weak OTC reading lense to read, I was 48 at the time I had covid. In OTC readers I wore a +1.50 my eye doctor had told me not to buy anything stronger than a +1.75 until I seen him again the following year. About 6 months after having covid in a period of about 2 months my reading vision began rapidly deteriorating. I had to buy a +2.75 ! I went to my eye doctor and began explaining to him what happened & the first thing he asked me was if I'd had covid & if I was sick longer than a couple of weeks (I will sick for 4 months). He said it had happened with other patients. He dialated my eyes & checked them out & said he couldn't see any damage to my eyes. However, now it seems as if my fat away vision isn't exactly as it should be. It's only been 4 months since I went to the eye doctor but I'm thinking I may have to go back before April of 2023 for my next visit.
Has anyone else had this happen to them & if so what were you told by your doctor? This is just one of the slew of problems I have from covid. Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance and God bless us all and may we all get thru this together.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

Yes, my vision feels blurry in general but my reading glass prescription increased by 3-fold!

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@fnel123

I too have noticed severe vision changes since I became a long hauler. Prior to becoming ill with Covid in late 2020, I didn’t have the need to wear glasses. I sometimes used over-the-counter weak readers, but didn’t really need them and oftentimes forgot to wear them. After Covid I started to have bouts of blurry vision, and my vision itself declined significantly. My prescription for reading is now 3.5 and my far vision is 2.0. I have no doubt that my change in vision is connected to Long Covid. I continue to have problems with blurry vision along with the many other health problems that others suffer and suspect that my vision will continue to decline. I checked with my ophthalmologist and she said that my eyes are healthy and suggested I talk to my neurologist; he felt it was coincidental and connected to natural aging.

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@fnel123
I highly doubt it's coincidental or age related. My vision has gotten so bad post covid, now long covid, blurry, double vision. I'm afraid when the time comes to renew my drivers license that I'll fail.the vision test!
I have no doubt that this is the result of Covid.

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@dloos

I posted back in January before going to see a retinologist. No problems were found, yet my vision gets worse.
I am now seeing a Neuro-ophthalmologist. I didn’t know there was such a thing until recently!
He says I have tunnel vision and double vision similar to a stroke patient.
I’m being fitted with prism glasses. I have no idea if this will help me, but that’s where I am now with treatment.
I will post when I know more about this treatment.

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@dloos
I now wear prism lens and yes they help tremendously. My only problem is that I have to get new lenses almost every 12 month because that is how rapidly my vision is changing. It is getting expensive and I also worry I may get to the point prisms don't help.

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@katey122

@dloos
I now wear prism lens and yes they help tremendously. My only problem is that I have to get new lenses almost every 12 month because that is how rapidly my vision is changing. It is getting expensive and I also worry I may get to the point prisms don't help.

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It seems to me that no matter what I do, my condition worsens. My hearing is greatly affected too. At first (two years ago) hearing aids helped me quite a bit. Now, my hearing aids are pretty worthless.
I’ll get the prism glasses this week. Maybe they’ll help for awhile.

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71 YO female here. Now on what seems to be episode 3 of long Covid. The start of episode 2 in November 2021 was marked by BP and pulse being randomly erratic. Started on BP.med Losartan, and vision was immediately blurry. Have made several adjustments to BP meds, and when BP meds are increased vision gets worse. When BP meds are decreased vision improves.
No idea what your situation is, just adding information.

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I searched for a thread like this due to a condition my father currently has. I have been diagnosed with post covid syndrome and have my own list of symptoms, but right now searching for info on behalf of my Dad.

My Dad is 87. He got sick with covid in Feb. 2024. My mom got it before him. I thought he had RSV, due to the cough, so was shocked after I took him to his doctor and the test was positive for SARS. He had congestive heart failure since 2021, so I’m shocked he didn’t need hospitalization or oxygen. It was a slow recovery, but he came out ok.

Then, last week he suddenly got one eye that was very red and itchy. I took him to his primary walk-in and PA diagnosed him with conjunctivitis. Prescribed antibiotic drops and after 1 day looked better, then it went to both eyes, and redness quadrupled. Intense itching and super red skin on all the eyes like a raccoon,

Sunday morning I was enroute to take him back to the doctor when my mom called and he had collapsed in the floor. He couldn’t get up snd not responsive to paramedics when they arrived. Transported to ED, full body evaluation and diagnosed eyes as allergic conjunctivitis. The steroid shot and drops have barely touched it. I got him an appointment with an ophthalmologist tomorrow.

I just saw a news story of a case almost exactly like his. Not sure if its ok to post the link. The ophthalmologist in the news story said the family he treated tested positive for covid when he tested the fluid in their eyes. They had previously had covid. It was described as covid conjunctivitis.

I’m worried, because my dad can barely see. He is very miserable with the stinging and itching. I’m hoping the ophthalmologist is able to help.

Has anyone had this before?

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@celia16

I searched for a thread like this due to a condition my father currently has. I have been diagnosed with post covid syndrome and have my own list of symptoms, but right now searching for info on behalf of my Dad.

My Dad is 87. He got sick with covid in Feb. 2024. My mom got it before him. I thought he had RSV, due to the cough, so was shocked after I took him to his doctor and the test was positive for SARS. He had congestive heart failure since 2021, so I’m shocked he didn’t need hospitalization or oxygen. It was a slow recovery, but he came out ok.

Then, last week he suddenly got one eye that was very red and itchy. I took him to his primary walk-in and PA diagnosed him with conjunctivitis. Prescribed antibiotic drops and after 1 day looked better, then it went to both eyes, and redness quadrupled. Intense itching and super red skin on all the eyes like a raccoon,

Sunday morning I was enroute to take him back to the doctor when my mom called and he had collapsed in the floor. He couldn’t get up snd not responsive to paramedics when they arrived. Transported to ED, full body evaluation and diagnosed eyes as allergic conjunctivitis. The steroid shot and drops have barely touched it. I got him an appointment with an ophthalmologist tomorrow.

I just saw a news story of a case almost exactly like his. Not sure if its ok to post the link. The ophthalmologist in the news story said the family he treated tested positive for covid when he tested the fluid in their eyes. They had previously had covid. It was described as covid conjunctivitis.

I’m worried, because my dad can barely see. He is very miserable with the stinging and itching. I’m hoping the ophthalmologist is able to help.

Has anyone had this before?

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Our whole family had pink eye during, or following Covid. Mine developed a few weeks after feeling recovered. Now, two and 1/2 years later, my vision is much worse. I’ve had eyeglasses changed multiple times, and I’m now being fitted with prism glasses.
My situation is different from your dad’s, but eye issues are definitely associated with Covid.
I hope he gets some relief.

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@dloos

Our whole family had pink eye during, or following Covid. Mine developed a few weeks after feeling recovered. Now, two and 1/2 years later, my vision is much worse. I’ve had eyeglasses changed multiple times, and I’m now being fitted with prism glasses.
My situation is different from your dad’s, but eye issues are definitely associated with Covid.
I hope he gets some relief.

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Hey there. Took him to ophthalmologist today. She said allergic conjunctivitis and said put a little cortisone cream around the eye. And use steroid drop twice a day. He’s still inconsolable. We are exhausted. He really believes there is trash in his eye. He has some dementia. I suppose back to the primary tomorrow. It’s unbelievable this thing has turned into a nightmare! I’m praying they will find something that helps more.

The ophthalmologist never heard of covid conjunctivitis. Oh well.

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@celia16

Hey there. Took him to ophthalmologist today. She said allergic conjunctivitis and said put a little cortisone cream around the eye. And use steroid drop twice a day. He’s still inconsolable. We are exhausted. He really believes there is trash in his eye. He has some dementia. I suppose back to the primary tomorrow. It’s unbelievable this thing has turned into a nightmare! I’m praying they will find something that helps more.

The ophthalmologist never heard of covid conjunctivitis. Oh well.

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It’s so crazy that doctors claim no knowledge of the havoc Covid has caused for so many of us!
Do they have their heads in the sand (or perhaps stuck someplace else?)
I’m seeing a Neuro-ophthalmologist now who frequently says “Oh yes, that’s from Covid.” So refreshing to be talking to someone who is paying attention and trying to help.

Good luck to you and your father.

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@dloos

It’s so crazy that doctors claim no knowledge of the havoc Covid has caused for so many of us!
Do they have their heads in the sand (or perhaps stuck someplace else?)
I’m seeing a Neuro-ophthalmologist now who frequently says “Oh yes, that’s from Covid.” So refreshing to be talking to someone who is paying attention and trying to help.

Good luck to you and your father.

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This gives me hope. My ENT diagnosed my post covid syndrome. Apparently, he sees a lot of it.

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