Eyes and Neuropathy
I would love to hear from folks who have peripheral neuropathy and eyes problems such as worsening dry eye and photophobia (light sensitivity). Has anyone been to a neuro opthamologist for this and been advised of the correlation? What did you learn?
My eyes have mitigating circumstances.... beginning with Fuchs Dystrophy (cornea disease) requiring cataract and cornea transplants, intractable migraine and Small Fiber Polyneuropathy...all of which play off each other. Photophobia, for me, has been constant since prior to eye surgeries and increasingly worse after. Migraines create photophobia and vice versa. SFN is nerve damage/dysfunction which for me has created hyperalgesia (overactive and hyper sensitivity). The cornea contains the highest number of small fibers in your entire body. My ongoing dry eye is developing along with intense flares of light sensitivity. I feel like a vampire...it puts me down, to bed, in hiding. As I explore how to tackle worsening dry eye, I came across this link that opened my mind further and thought maybe it might help some of you who have dry eye and neuropathy.
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@colleenyoung Thanks Colleen, I agree. Research, research, research. Thank you for the tips.
Thanks Colleen. Yesterday I was reading about some company that was just starting out on a new line of research regarding helping neuropathic pain, and the article was very positive and excited about the promise of what was coming. One of the comments by a reader underneath this article said something like "When I see something like this coming out, all I do is search for 2 words: 'mouse trials'. Then I know to come back in ten years for an update". Made me giggle. Best, Hank
Hank, you just took me right back to microbiology! Oh how I loved learning about glycolosis and the Krebs cycle. ATP, talk to me LOL! I LOVE that stuff! It increases my faith and validates the bible and science are allies! Thx for the memories! 🤗
Love the humor Chris! We have to keep that for certain!! Thank you 🤣
@sunnyflower When reading up on mitochondria last year, 8th grade biology and the memory of the term "Krebs cycle" came back to me. It was strange to be revisiting that information after a 50 year hiatus from that area of science. I am always amazed at the endless complexities of science in general as it always reveals the deep and awe inspiring wonder that is God's creation. Best, Hank
Absopositivlutely! 👍
@rwinney Hi Rachel, yet one more PM for you. Hank
I have CIDP and have no luck from any of the neurologists I’ve been to.
I’ve had so many tests,and the nerve biopsy showed there was demyelinization of the nerves, but no reason as to why.
I am slowly getting worse, and my eyes especially.
Besides having dry eyes, the effect of sunlight is painful.
My pupils don’t react to light at all which is the reason they are so light sensitive.
My past eye docs test them in the office and tell me I’m good,when I know I’m not.
I do have an appt in 2 weeks with a new opthomologist, but I was so surprised to read your symptoms and mine are similar.
I never wore glasses until few years ago, and just for reading.
I attributed it to age, but now I realize how bad my eyes are.
Hello @harley22. Welcome to the conversation. I believe you are responding to me @rwinney? I have read some of your posts and do have heartfelt sympathy for your CIDP condition. How have IVig treatments worked out for you? I'd like to know. What a miserable time of things from body to eyes. It gets confusing to differentiate between causes of age or diagnosis. I never understood, nor did my opthemologist or neuro-opthemologist, why my eyes were so light sensitive. It had been blamed on scar tissue from my surgeries for 7 years. I began cross researching and understanding, since my Small Fiber Polyneuropathy diagnosis, that nerve damage, is nerve damage, and in my case and probably yours, it affects many parts of our bodies. including our eyes. There does not seem to be a way out other than what we adjust in our daily lives to compensate. For my photophobia I wear baseball hats, different shades of sunglasses according to light situations, car visor down, lights and lamps dimmed or altered, etc...Dry eye....well, drops, warm wash clothes, avoid fans, wind, air conditioners.....blah, blah, blah! What can we do, right? It stinks but, we must prevail and keep fighting as best we know how. I wish you peace and comfort.
Rachel
Hello, I am probably the last to know this but just did a search to see if there is a neuro-ophthalmology specialty and there is! Sounds like that would be who you, myself and those of us with these symptoms should see. All the best, Sunny