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        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> CH and vision.... some relief
        
(Message started by: plazticsoul on Nov 18^th, 2005, 1:27am)

Title: CH and vision.... some relief
Post by plazticsoul on Nov 18^th, 2005, 1:27am

I couldn't find my original thread, but a few months ago my girlfriend suggested that I may have an astigmatism. I've already seen 3 eye doctors when my search for the cluster headache diagnosis began, but I figured it wouldn't hurt. My first visit in the spring of 2004 resulted in prescription glasses that were instructed only to be worn while reading.

Luckily, I was having a CH during my 4th visit to an eye doctor, who I instructed specifically to look for an astigmatism in my left eye. When he found it, the pain was miracuously gone, so I decided to get fitted for contact lenses. They told me I only needed to wear one lense, a toric lense, to correct the astigmatism.

Well, I can't say that the toric lense has STOPPED my cluster headaches, but I can say with great confidence that it has decreased the number of 'hits' significantly. I do think I suffer from cluster headaches, and my grand theory is that, throughout the course of the day, it's changing my vision. I've found that I can start the day without wearing anything. Around noon I pop in the toric lense. Then, every day around 5 or 6pm, the beast starts knocking. So, I take the lense out and put on those reading glasses I got prescribed over a year ago (which also have correction for astigmatism) and I find the pain becomes only a minor inconvenience.

Vision problem causing the terrible pain, or the terrible pain causing the vision problem? Dunno, but at least it's tolerable now.

Title: Re: CH and vision.... some relief
Post by BobG on Nov 18^th, 2005, 1:42am

“I can see clearly now, the pain is gone.
It’s gonna be a bright, bright, sunshiny day.”

Can’t remember who sung that, but it seemed to fit.

Title: Re: CH and vision.... some relief
Post by chewy on Nov 18^th, 2005, 7:55am

Quote:

Luckily, I was having a CH during my 4th visit to an eye doctor, who I instructed specifically to look for an astigmatism in my left eye. When he found it, the pain was miracuously gone

Anyone tries to get near my eye when I am under attack and THEY will be miraculously gone.

Title: Re: CH and vision.... some relief
Post by kcopelin on Nov 18^th, 2005, 12:44pm

Thanks BobG- ;)
Now I can't get the friggin' song out of my head!
"all of the bad feelings have diappeared
gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
gonna be a bright bright sun shiney day"

kathy
p.s. Plazticsoul Can't believe you let anyone that close when getting hit-you are either far braver than I or , :-X But hey if it helped you, cool.

Title: Re: CH and vision.... some relief
Post by plazticsoul on Nov 18^th, 2005, 5:45pm

".....bright, bright sunshiney day...." hehe thanks, guys, for your support.

Well, I'm chronic (since April 2004) and fortunately most of my hits aren't tremedously high on the kip scale. Sometimes the really bad ones come out of nowhere, but are usually at night when I'm not in public. So far I'm only having shadows with switching between a toric lense, reading glasses, and nothing at all. I can usually get a feel for when to alternate. Especially when all of a sudden the vision through that toric lense gets blurry. Try as I might, I can't bring things back into focus in that eye (blinking a lot, cleaning them). My eye doctor was dumbfounded as to why my vision frequently changes, but I didn't really go into detail about clusters with him.

Seems to me the CH changes my vision in that eye and when the vision gets corrected, it goes away.... until it finds a way to change it again ::)

Oh by the way I only take xanax for cluster headaches, too. Verapamil, prednisone, lithium, limbitrol, oxygen, imitrex... none of that stuff works. My case is very strange indeed! ;;D

Well, I don't want to sound TOO cheerful on here, because there are many on here that probably suffer a lot more on the kip scale. But I wish everyone many many pain free days!!! ;)

Title: Re: CH and vision.... some relief
Post by bnfreeman on Nov 18^th, 2005, 7:00pm

I have oftened wondered if the CH have affected my eyes in any way. I know that my site has gotten worse over the past 2 years since having them. I saw an eye doctor when I first got them and the only thing she noticed was one pupil was larger than the other and wanted to do the cocaine test on me. Anyways, glad to hear you have some relief!

Title: Re: CH and vision.... some relief
Post by Karla on Nov 19^th, 2005, 10:28pm

I am on many of the same meds as you are. I went to an eye dr and he said I had poor vision and astigmatisms. However, (while being hit) he couldn't find a lens corrections soluton. After it past He got a reading. He had me come back every week for several weeks. My perscription changed everytime. I got classes for my vision and astigmatisms. However it has done nothing for my ha. I wish It were that easy for us all. I glad you have found something that has worked so nice for you.