I’m sorry to know you’re still having eye troubles @Catmd. How frustrating that no one has been able to help you resolve what’s causing the problems. Have you looked into eye exercises to help w/ them working better together? Would the fact they don’t work well together cause the double vision i.e. has anyone you’ve seen suggested that?
Hi @Isaiah_40_31 - I have seen 1 ophthalmologist, 1 neuro-ophthalmologist, and 3 optometrists. Three of the 5 professionals said exercises won’t help. The neuro said exercises might help, but the treatment was “controversial” because there has not been demonstrable success with exercises in adults. The 5th wanted about $5,000 out of pocket to do testing and put me through a course of exercises to see if they would help. Seemed like way too much money for something with questionable results. I have a schedule to see another neuro-ophthalmologist at the end of September, who specializes in strabismus, because I can see one eye turns out now and it did not before surgery. None of them found it of interest that I did not have double vision going into surgery, but now have it after surgery, or that my eyesight keeps changing. My double vision is in both eyes, independently, which reportedly is not an indication of an issue with the brain. The first neuro found no observable signs of intracranial hypertension but detected a slight tremor (no nystagmus) when looking inside my eyes with a microscope. I had oscillopsia before the first styloid removal surgery, but it improved for several years after the first surgery. She thinks the eye tremor is compounding the residual oscillopsia, which makes sense, but does not address the issue of double vision and wandering eye. I have looked online for eye exercises, but have not been successful in finding any.
I’m sorry- I meant to post about the exercises but life has been crazy lately.
It’s my personal opinion (and that of my physical therapist) that after this surgery my body needs to re-learn a few things. The exercises weren’t helping before, but I think they are now. My eyes have improved, at any rate.
It’s basic stuff - right now I’m following my thumb as far left and then as far right using just my eyes. I was only doing one rep a day at first- the idea is to do it slowly and smoothly, alternating arms. I try with different backgrounds - trees are the most difficult. My eyes used to jump and stagger, but they have improved. Walking is also an eye exercise, because the eyes are part of the balance system.
More later.
@Catmd, It sounds like you’re being very thorough in trying to get to the bottom of your eye challenge. Curious that eye exercises don’t seem to be as successful w/ adults. The only thing I would dispute about that comment is that may be true for a visual problem of many years, but yours is relatively recent which would lead me to believe some type of basic exercise such as what @tokenegret suggested might be a good starting point.
YIKES! about the doc who wanted $5k up front to “experiment” on you. I’d say he should wait to collect his fee until he’s actually found the cause & been able to treat you w/ exercises or otherwise. That’s a gamble I’m glad you decided to skip!
I hope the new neuro-opth. does take an interest in the fact your recent visual changes occurred after surgery. It makes me wonder if the problems were latent & perhaps the stress of surgery brought them forward? Whatever the situation, I hope you’re able to get some better answers from the next doctor you see.
I hope that you get somewhere with the next appt, & find something to help you…
I agree completely with the concept that visual exercises can help new on-set of significant vision changes. It may also be a latent issue that surfaced after surgery. I will keep visiting doctors until I find one who will take an interest and figure out how to help!
60 day post op update here:
60 Day Post Op Update
Can I ask who did your surgery?
Dr. Mannion at Vanderbilt in Nashville