# vision problems



## kayde (Apr 15, 2016)

About 3 months ago I blacked out for near no reason. I was alone, I was out for almost 4 minutes and I still don't know what happened. I woke up in a panic, super blurry vision, and was so foggy I couldn't think. It calmed down but I still had a little fog and very weird vision. My family was a little worried so I got hauled to the ER. I was told it was a concussion and I was sent home. About two weeks in I start feeling better but my vision and fog stayed. I started to doubt the concussion diagnosis since there was never a headache and never a bruise or spot on my head.

I learned about dpdr while googling endlessly and my issues seem to match. I have only one eye so the vision issue scares me the most. It feels like a focusing problem. Like I can't see correctly but my vision is there behind all these symptoms. It has gotten better. It started by feeling foggy and hazy. Now it feels like my brain is just rejecting the image. I also seem to have blurry distance vision. I don't think I had it before. Also a little visual snow.

I've had 2 eye exams and both say my eyes are fine, 20/20 vision, but my eyes are dry (probably from the accutane i was on before this but dryness doesnt cause these issues). I've had a CT and an eeg and neither show anything wrong. All of my doctors seem to show no concern and say I'm fine. it IS getting better slowly but I'm scared it'll stop getting better or gt worse

I'm on zoloft now and it makes it much worse. The vision feels like it's clearer but the snow ramps up crazily. And the fog hits me crazy hard.

Tldr symptoms - visual snow, blurry distance, after images, focusing problem, foggy brain, all of which has been very slowly going away.

I've been lurking here for a while now but finally gained the courage to post, I still don't even know for sure if it's dpdr. 
Thanks ahead of time for replies


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## royakash92 (Jul 2, 2014)

Most certainly a case of DPDR.

Look at this thread to see if you relate to these symptoms.

http://www.dpselfhelp.com/forum/index.php?/topic/47808-anyone-identify-relate-with-these-symptoms-possible-treatment/


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## kayde (Apr 15, 2016)

It feels like it but there's still a lingering fear it's some sort of unseen damage. I'm worried my eye is damaged somehow. I can't get out of this


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## Billy D.P. (Apr 12, 2016)

Visual Snow Syndrome, HPPD, DP-DR -- your pick. The bottom line is that you suffered a brain injury and have since obtained symptoms that align with all these disorders. My best advice is to remain calm (anxiety only makes it worse), keep your mind off it, stay healthy, don't do drugs and just take it slow. See where you're at in another month and reassess from there.


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## 99880 (Mar 17, 2016)

Hi,

Sorry to learn of your difficulties. Blackouts can be very troubling, when there is no apparent reason for them.

Blackouts can occur with functional neurological disorder, other symtoms of FND include dp/dr, vision problems and many other unusual physical symtoms. Functional neurological disorder is stress related, it's worth checking out, if there is no obvious organic cause for the blackout.


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## kayde (Apr 15, 2016)

slightsparkle said:


> Hi,
> Sorry to learn of your difficulties. Black outs can be very troubling, when there is no apparent reason for them.
> Black outs can occur with functional neurological disorder, other symtoms of FND include dp/dr, vision problems and many other unusual physical symtoms. Functional neurological disorder is stress related, it's worth checking out, if there is no obvious organic cause for the black out.


Wow.. thank you very much I'll look into this..


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## 99880 (Mar 17, 2016)

This thread from a few years back might be helpful. http://www.dpselfhelp.com/forum/index.php?/topic/31102-functional-and-dissociative-neurological-symptoms/


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## Surfer Rosa (Nov 27, 2015)

I would use the search tool, to look for other people with depersonalization reporting problems with thier vision. Also keep in mind that you are running all the tests necessary, and that maybe (I don't know) a serious neurological problem would come with other side effects.


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

kayde said:


> About 3 months ago I blacked out for near no reason. I was alone, I was out for almost 4 minutes and I still don't know what happened. I woke up in a panic, super blurry vision, and was so foggy I couldn't think. It calmed down but I still had a little fog and very weird vision. My family was a little worried so I got hauled to the ER. I was told it was a concussion and I was sent home. About two weeks in I start feeling better but my vision and fog stayed. I started to doubt the concussion diagnosis since there was never a headache and never a bruise or spot on my head.
> 
> I learned about dpdr while googling endlessly and my issues seem to match. I have only one eye so the vision issue scares me the most. It feels like a focusing problem. Like I can't see correctly but my vision is there behind all these symptoms. It has gotten better. It started by feeling foggy and hazy. Now it feels like my brain is just rejecting the image. I also seem to have blurry distance vision. I don't think I had it before. Also a little visual snow.
> 
> ...


When did you lose eyesight in your blind eye? Is it completely blind?

Did you get your head 'bumped' within a few weeks prior to blacking out? Do you tend to have low blood pressure?

Were you recently on Accutane?

How long have you been on Zoloft?

Both Zoloft and Accutane alter dopamine function. Dopamine function affects vision (among many things). You can Google: accutane dopamine pubmed and find a lot of info about it, mostly psychological effects. Its affect on the eyes and dopamine seem to relate to it being a 'retinoid' like vitamin 'A' ... with problems similar to too much vitamin 'A'. You can also Search accutane on this forum and find plenty of complaints.

Here are a couple Accutane links:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotretinoin
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2637283/

Zoloft is known to cause "extrapyramidal symptoms" a polite/obscure way of saying it causes symptoms of low dopamine in the brain.

Here are a couple Zoloft EPS links:


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9723116
https://www.aacp.com/pdf%2F0810%2F0810ACP_Madhusoodanan.pdf

I approach members reports from the perspective of low dopamine since that is my history and study. It relates to a significant number of people suffering visual problems such as HPPD. Some benefit from meds that increase dopamine in the brain. And recently discovered that many get help even from a simple vitamin in a specific form (cocarboxylase)

Of course everyone's body is unique in needs and response to meds. So you will need to continue learning and trying things.

At any rate, welcome to the forum ... you can find helpful info here.


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## kayde (Apr 15, 2016)

Visual said:


> When did you lose eyesight in your blind eye? Is it completely blind?
> 
> Did you get your head 'bumped' within a few weeks prior to blacking out? Do you tend to have low blood pressure?
> 
> ...


Hello! Jeez not gonna lie I was hoping you'd say this.. I've been researching dopamine heavily recently. In fact many of your posts have gotten me into the research

I've always been blind in my blind eye. The optic nerve never developed completely so I have VERY low vision in it. It's like looking at the world through the smallest hole you can imagine. My brain doesn't use the eye at all.

I was on accutane until this happened. I was responding well to it. I was only on it 2 months though. Not very long and I was only on 80mg. None of my blood tests showed any issues.

No I didn't hit my head before this. I've actually hit my head since this and it didn't do a thing to me. In fact I've recovered faster since then. The original though of concussion was from a red spot on my head present when this event happened, but it disappeared a day later and was never sore.. it was probably from bleaching my hair the night before.

I've been on the zoloft for a few days now. I'm only on the start up of half a pill every day.

The only thing that bothers me is the eye strain. It doesn't feel like my eyes should be strained or feeling weird. It's what makes me believe I damaged my optic nerve or something. My distance is blurry and I don't remember that being a thing. Maybe it was but I never payed attention to it? The only thing that keeps me from thinking it's only eye damage is my fatigue and brain fog also being symptoms

With rhis info.. what should I tell my doctor? I'd really love to try some sort of dopamine related medicine and see if it does anything for me.

Thank you very much for replying.


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

Most on this site have had problems even though their blood-work looks good. As the saying goes, "there are plenty of cadavers with good blood-work". Am not saying this to worry you or anyone, rather to point out the difficulty often experienced with this sort of problem. BTW, its great that your blood-work is good.

Don't know much about optic-nerve problems. Usually they present as field deficits or even 'brownish' vision (optic neuritis). But have experienced focus changes with both dopamine and acetylcholine meds.

What you tell your doctors depends on your relationship with them. Some are great and some are a headache. In the past, if you said "I read on the internet ..." they would roll their eyes and get irritable. But some are much better than that now.

Getting dopamine meds can kind of be hard. Wellbutrin is an antidepressant that work by increasing DA and NE ... but it often increases anxiety, which is usually a problem for most members on this forum. If you have ADD/ADHD, then there are those meds. Haven't tried them so can say, but they are similar to Parkinson's meds. The main difference is that PD meds don't usually affect serotonin directly. Sinemet 25/100 is my favorite but docs don't usually prescribe it outside PD (though RLS and a few other conditions respond well). And, of course, if you don't need them, they won't help.

If the sensation of eye strain, and brain fog, and fatigue are your main issues, you could start with TC. While just a lowly vitamin, it affects all neurons if there is a deficit. Here is a link http://www.dpselfhelp.com/forum/index.php?/topic/53578-thiamine-cocarboxylase/ For me it has allowed reduction of the dopamine meds I take - which was quite unexpected.

Aside from the two meds you mentioned already, are there other meds you have taken in the past? And, if so, how did you feel with them?


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## kayde (Apr 15, 2016)

I've only been on Zoloft and magnesium for this issue. No doctor has attempted to treat it until this most recent doctor who listened to me about it being a certain anxiety disorder. He's just a family doctor.

I DO have add/adhd and was treated for adhd long time for it. I took Concerta and focalin. Focalin was the last thing I took and it helped in school but eventually did nothing at all and I end up taking myself off them because they made me grumpy. The doc noted my add a few times so he is listening.

If it wasn't so visually symptomatic I might be less worried really. But I have hope that I'm on the right path.

I mean, there's even a few threads where people taking adderall will post about "cleared up vision" and "heightened vision" in adhd forums.

I've heard a bit about sinamet, I'm sure there's an article I've read where it was even used in testing to see of it could improve on birth defected vision. I'll look into that vitamin, I've got nothing else to do right now. Thanks again for these replies. I've been stuck in this so long and it's good to finally speak to someone about it


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

Well, we don't want grumpy, lol








Read somewhere that Sinemet was being used off-label for children and early teens to correct some eye problems. Interesting that you have a history of ADD. A lot on this forum speak of focus/attention difficulties along with DPD, regardless of an actual ADD/ADHD diagnosis. So you may be on to some good ideas.

Have seen posts both ways with Adderall and other ADD meds. Some misuse them to try to perform better on tests.

Sounds like you've got a good working history with you family doc - they can actually be very useful. Neurologists usually are not helpful unless you have something severe.

It certainly understandable to be concerned with eyesight ... all the more with only one good eye. What you relate seems more in the visual perception arena than the actual eye or optic nerve. As a side point, there is a connection between optic neuritis and thiamine deficiency, so it won't hurt to cover your bases https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxic_and_nutritional_optic_neuropathy Also, B12. [ Note: Even though B12 is in many 'B' complexes (even the one recommended in the TC thread), there are absorption limitations. There is a routine for B12 that was particularly helpful posted years ago. I'll try to find it or maybe just start a thread. ]


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## kayde (Apr 15, 2016)

There has absolutely been clear connections to focus problems and other conditions that affect thought processes and dp..

On top of the adhd I have (I'll admit mild..) aspergers. I'm easily iritable, a degree of ocd, and a few other things that come with it. And I'm sure that isn't helping my case either.

My biggest deal currently is the question of what caused this. Why I lost consiousness and why I had that panic attack after I woke. That scares me the most. But the issues slowly lessening over the past few months has absolutely given me hope that it isn't anything extreme. I'm sure all of this website has said what I'll say, I just want to get back to normal.

But now that I'm in it, I'm gonna research it, I'm gonna figure out what helps and what doesnt. I'm interested now.

I've been trying a few vitamins to see if anything changes. I'm currently on b12, zinc, magnesium, but no huge changes.

I'm absolutely gonna look into trying the one you've mentioned. And I'm gonna talk to my doctor a bit more. I'm not giving up on this


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

There is a history to this being useful for repairing nerve injury. The routine is to take in the morning:


~5mg sublingual methylcobalamin (B12) for 3 days
~1200mg liquid glycerophosphocholine (GPC) for 3 days
~3000mg methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) for 3 days

Repeat at ~3 week intervals.

Notes:


You can take MSM every day. Same with GPC though it is rather expensive. The B12 needs to have the 3 week gap.
Methylcobalamin is the most usable form of B12. It is important to dissolve slowly under the tongue since B12 is poorly absorbed in the digestive tract.
5mg sublingual methylcobalamin is roughly equivalent to a 1000mcg injection. The problem with injectable is that 1000mcg has 700mcg aluminum with it, which one might want to avoid. Also, why inject if you can take in the month? ... unless you are sensitive to the sublingual ingredients.
If you haven't used MSM before, you may wish to slowly work up the dose.
GPC is NOT the same as Alpha-GPC
Unfortunately, liquid GPC is rather expensive, but a supply will last most of a year at that dosage. You may be able to use phosphatidylcholine (PC) instead
You may find success with various manufacturers. I've used Klaire Labs Methylcobalamin, Crayhon Research GPC Insta-Gel 1200 Mg Per Tube - 30 Vials, and Vital Nutrients MSM
Hope you find this info helpful


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## kayde (Apr 15, 2016)

Hello! I'm back again after a few appointments. I've been checked in my eyes yet again and nothing was found. My eye doctor told me to keep seeing the neuro so I guess I'm gonna do that. I have a bit of an update.

I was feeling very good lately! My vision feels less worse every few days and I've started taking what you recommended (it says thiamin coenzymated b-1 cocarboxylase I hope that's the right thing, I'm not the smartest when looking for things.) And I swear it's been helping.

I guess I can be a bit happy that the eye doc can't find anything. But tonight I've felt a bit worse than usual. Brain feels foggy and pressured tonight, eyes feel weird and have a sensation behind them, and I just overall feel like I've stepped back. But my vision isn't as bad somehow.

I hope to figure out if this is working for me soon and thank you VERY MUCH Visual. I plan to keep checking back here even after this is gone. (If it ever goes)


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## kayde (Apr 15, 2016)

Hello! A quick update. Another neuro has been seen and he can't see anything wrong and suggested an MRI to make sure. I really don't want to do this though and I can't afford it. So I went and talked to my doc about trying to avoid it and we talked about dopamine and he even asked specifically which meds I was looking into! (An amazing doc) He said he feels most comfortable prescribing wellbutrin and it looks like I'm gonna try that. Hoping it works!


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## kayde (Apr 15, 2016)

A little update! The wellbutrin seems to do nothing. It gives me tinnitus and makes me a bit grumpy but other than that pretty much no affect on my head or vision. I'm starting to worry.

The blurriness is the only thing that gets to me the most. Is it really possible that my blurry distanced vision is dpdr? I thought that blurriness only had to do with the eye itself..

And I'm sure I didn't have the blur before this. And if I did I never noticed it until now. And I'm starting to lose hope and starting to just think I'm making this up in my head..

I've done a ton of blood tests now and everything is totally normal. My absolute last test is an MRI but I can't afford that right now and I'm sure it'll come up clear as well.

No clue where to go from here. I'm trying adderall next and if that doesn't do anything then I really have no clue what to do.

Sorry for the ramble. But I promised to keep updating.


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## Guest (May 31, 2016)

I have the vision problems since my dp/dr started too. It absolutely is most likely because of your dp/dr.

I describe my vision as blurry now also, even though I can still see. Also, everything around me seems dim and flourescent lighting seems too bright and weird.

It's like my eyes refuse to focus on the "present". My vision feels far away and blurry. It's hard to put into words, but I know what you mean...


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## kayde (Apr 15, 2016)

But now I have an actual blur in the distance. A real one that is kind of helped by squinting. I try to pass it off as DP but now I'm thinking that it's real.. even though docs say I'm 20/20. The whole unfocused, hazy, brain rejecting focus has dulled a bit but the blur remains. I'm just so confused. Is ACTUALLY blurry vision a part of dp? And even if it is.. will it ever go away? Don't see many recovery stories on the vision problems..
But dont listen to my depressed rambles.. I'm just lost as to why this blur is here.


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## Guest (May 31, 2016)

My vision is blurry at a distance too. It feels like I need to get glasses now.


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## kayde (Apr 15, 2016)

YES that's what I mean.. and I've even put my aunts glasses on (she's very near sighted) and I can see farther. But up until this my prescription has always been right. I wear just glass as protection for my good eye and a type of prism for my dead eye to keep it in line. Been checked 3 times and no new glasses needed.. but it's blurry! I'm just so saddened about this that it has me fairly irrational... sorry


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## Guest (Jun 1, 2016)

Yeah, I feel the same way. It's kind of hard to stay calm about this all.


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

There are at least a couple possibilities:


If your pupil size is larger, it will reduce depth-of-field and less will be in focus
Change in muscle control to the lens. The prescription, which depends on the shape of the eye and average state of the lens, can stay the same but focusing has shifed.

Do either of you have increase in pupil size?


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## kayde (Apr 15, 2016)

No noticeable change in pupil size, eye doc didn't seem worried about my eye in ANY way. As I've said, I may have had this blur before but absolutely never noticed before.

Glasses slowly lowered in prescription as I got older until I stopped at just glass for protection. So if I didn't notice.... it was for 5 years. It's possible it just bothers me now since the dp.

There are plenty of moments when I convince myself my vision was better, like when watching TV from bed. I used to be able to read the titles I swear.

Also lights at night are extra starbursted, tv has a glow around it, and white text on black background is glared and hard to read... that seems to be along the same line with the blur.

Its odd though it seems to be better in bright natural light.

This is just 1 of the many visual things going on. And good lord is it confusing. I never thought I needed a prescription until now. But no matter how many times I'm tested I come out 20/20


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## riley87 (Mar 11, 2016)

I have all these same things - starburst, glow around lights, extra light sensitivity. Any progress on your end? How long have you been like this? I've had eye issues since Feb.


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