I Need Eye Issue Advice Desperately

Posted by nessiemac @nessiemac, Jan 3, 2022

Does anyone know if the Mayo Clinic can help with bringing my partial vision loss back or stem cell repair?. I need some advice, please. Having depression & anxiety regarding these issues.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Eye Conditions Support Group.

Hello, Nessiemac and welcome to Connect. I was searching for research information about stem cells and vision loss and found several links about research, but this may not be advanced enough to be put in clinical practice just yet. One of these articles talks about patients loosing eyesight after attempting treatment at an experimental clinic.

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/patch-replaces-damaged-retinal-cells
https://nihrecord.nih.gov/2021/07/23/new-stem-cell-treatment-developed-amd
https://dana.org/article/stem-cell-therapies-show-early-promise-for-vision-loss/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2929728/
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/delivering-innovative-stem-cell-therapy-to-slow-vision-loss/
https://www.statnews.com/2019/01/16/stem-cell-therapies-macular-degeneration/
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02629-w
https://hsci.harvard.edu/eye-diseases-0

I'm sure this is very difficult to deal with. My dad lived with vision loss from a stroke that affected the optic chiasm (where the optic nerves cross under the brain) and he lost half of the field of vision in each eye. Have you discussed your condition with an opthalmologist?

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Welcome @nessiemac. Should you wish to ask about potential treatment options for partial vision loss at Mayo Clinic, you can request an appointment online or by calling Mayo Clinic. You'll find all the information here: http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

Can you share was condition you have that is causing the loss of vision?

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Thank you for responding. I had brain surgery for an aneurysm which it was pressed against my optic nerve causing damage in my right eye. I had a stroke during surgery. Now I have a vestibular condition, was told I have visual vertigo or migraine vertigo or BPPV, TBI, concussion or maybe Ataxia. One specialist said I don’t have a vestibular condition. I’ve been to several specialists & given several diagnosis by the doctors. I’m dizzy, spinning & imbalance every day with light sensitivity, blurriness, cloudiness, low vision, etc. I don’t know what’s causing my debilitating issues. I’ve been told Mayo is a good place that can help. I need help, please. I have plenty of medical records.

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Sorry that you are suffering like this! If the vertigo is caused by BPPV, it will be positional. In other words, provoked by turning your head such as on the pillow when you first wake up. The good news is that BPPV can usually be easily corrected with the Epley Maneuver by an experienced physical therapist. I would ask your ENT for a recommendation for a vestibular PT. The PT can also diagnose BPPV based on an eye reflex called nystagmus.

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Thank you for your response. Ive gone to ENT physicians, they never mentioned the Epley Manuever. I’m still searching, maybe try the Mayo Clinic?

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The Epley maneuver is widely available. You can read about it on the internet. The ENT who misdiagnosed me never mentioned it initially, but only after I called back after months of continued misery from vertigo. The Epley.maneuver is highly effective for the BPPV form of vertigo. It's a simple maneuver, but best performed by an experienced PT who specializes in vestibular rehabilitation. Since that time, I have had the Epley done on multiple occasions when my vertigo acts up. I also sleep with my head/ears elevated and never put my head down (toward my knees) or tilted backwards as preventive measures given that I'm prone to repeated bouts of vertigo. The goal is to keep the calcium crystals in the inner ear in their proper place rather than bouncing against nerve endings.

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@nessiemac

Thank you for your response. Ive gone to ENT physicians, they never mentioned the Epley Manuever. I’m still searching, maybe try the Mayo Clinic?

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Also, look at the Foster Somersault, an updated movement that may help more than Epley.

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@pacer3702

The Epley maneuver is widely available. You can read about it on the internet. The ENT who misdiagnosed me never mentioned it initially, but only after I called back after months of continued misery from vertigo. The Epley.maneuver is highly effective for the BPPV form of vertigo. It's a simple maneuver, but best performed by an experienced PT who specializes in vestibular rehabilitation. Since that time, I have had the Epley done on multiple occasions when my vertigo acts up. I also sleep with my head/ears elevated and never put my head down (toward my knees) or tilted backwards as preventive measures given that I'm prone to repeated bouts of vertigo. The goal is to keep the calcium crystals in the inner ear in their proper place rather than bouncing against nerve endings.

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Thank you. These are resources that I am not aware of. I am constantly trying to find help. I will look into it.

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@nessiemac

Thank you for responding. I had brain surgery for an aneurysm which it was pressed against my optic nerve causing damage in my right eye. I had a stroke during surgery. Now I have a vestibular condition, was told I have visual vertigo or migraine vertigo or BPPV, TBI, concussion or maybe Ataxia. One specialist said I don’t have a vestibular condition. I’ve been to several specialists & given several diagnosis by the doctors. I’m dizzy, spinning & imbalance every day with light sensitivity, blurriness, cloudiness, low vision, etc. I don’t know what’s causing my debilitating issues. I’ve been told Mayo is a good place that can help. I need help, please. I have plenty of medical records.

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You may also be interested in these related discussions:
- Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: What has helped you? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo-1/
- Vestibular migraine: What symptoms do you experience? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/vestibular-migraine/

If you would like to seek a second opinion at Mayo Clinic, you can submit a request for an appointment yourself or have your doctor submit a referral. You'll find more information here: http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

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