Eagle Syndrome and eyesight

@Henrik - We’ve had many members notice their symptoms are worse in the winter when it’s very cold & sometimes in summer when very hot. Both make sense due to body response to cold & heat. Are you noticing worsening symptoms as your weather gets colder?

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As for the dry sensation in my eyes its worse in roomtemperatur settings and when it is hot outside for ES symptoms aswell actually. But my eyes starts releasing alot off fluid in cold conditions and weather.

My eyes are somewhat okey in humid conditions, wich i can understand in a way.

In cold condition my ES symptoms can often disapear but it can also reapear stronger, funny how that works haha. If it is below freezing ES symptoms can start with sharpshooting pain in ears then go over to full blown migrene and extreme head pressure.

And if we were to reverese the conditions, i found out sometimes it’s helpfull to get out off roomtemperatur and outside with conditions below freezing “the fresh air feeling/sensation”

My nostrils can sometimes be a addon to the variouse off symptoms related to ES. Specially when i sleep, so to go outside get some fresh air and open up my nostrils can sometimes have good effect on my symptoms i experience from ES that very day.

The ENT specialist did some testing and readings for my nostriles, he did notice that the left nostril wall was a bit compressed, he concluded with that it was a symptom from ES or in other words it could be.

Again did this affect you like this or maybe similar ?

My eyes do get more “teary” when I’m outside in the cold. I usually take my hikes in the early morning starting just after sunrise & the tears run down my cheeks but I’m not crying. It’s very annoying! It doesn’t get below freezing very often where I live (sunny California :joy:) but even in the 30ºs-40ºs F, my eyes still water. It may be a way the body protects the eyeballs from getting too cold?

I don’t remember my ES symptoms reacting to heat or cold so that may not have been a problem for me. Pushing my body too hard with exercise is what usually caused my symptoms to get worse.

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It can be a “defence” mechanism as you say, who knows.

What kind off heavy excercises triggered your symptoms?

Hi, I recommend you see a opthomologist as they know more than ordinary opticians. Eyes can defo be affected by VES, but medics do not know yet. D

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Opthomologist is the same as an eye specialist ?

@Henrik - In the U.S. & UK ophthalmologists are medical doctors & though opticians can have a PhD, they aren’t medical doctors i.e. they aren’t licensed to do surgery on the eyes.

Regarding the heavy exercises that flared my ES symptoms, I belonged to a gym at the time I was diagnosed w/ ES & was seeing a personal trainer so anything that required use of my neck muscles would flare symptoms. Especially bad was doing “rope slamming” which was hardcore upper body work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wDx6mZDxA8. Core work also would flare symptoms because it involved neck tension.

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I started having visual snow, which looks like static in my vision and much more floaters. NR said the jugular vein compression is to blame. I had my optic nerves checked, pressure, visual field test all within normal limits. Have an appointment with an neuro-ophthalmology next year. Not sure what they can do for me, so I don’t if I’m going to go to the appointment.

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Visual snow has been reported by several of our members w/ IJV compression so we know it’s a symptom of that. Good for your NR identifying the cause!!

I have had these eye issues but eye experts in UK not aware of cause, no clear diagnosis despite Moorfields Eye Hospital half day testing, brain MRI & field of vision test. Vision in my right eye still getting worse. Thankfully left eye ok after eye & decompression surgeries. D

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Ahh i see, i think that is were my optician sent a refferal to. how does stuff like that work in the US do you have to pay for it or does your insurence cover such thing?

Here in norway we have to pay the optician but not the specialists working at the hospital. And offcorse the glasses we have to pay for but you can try to get help from the welfare administration and some insurence will cover it and even workplace can cover it.

Upper body, thought so. For me upper body would help, but i have noted that for example lat pulldown and bend over rowing would sometimes flare symptoms within 24-48 hours when in recovery. Thinking that since it’s basic muscle breaakdown theory more inflamation ontop off another muscle tissue inflamation it is maybe not the best.

And for lat pulldown and bent over rowing, you can pack up some weight on those excercises. You can really go hard on those, and it is difficult with the temptation off going hard.

You say that core excercises would flare it wich i belive is frustrating . I noticed that it would not flare my symptoms but i got more aware off the neck tension, when i do crunches or sit ups i tend to feel the tension in the neck alot and also feeling a “stabbing” sensation from the trigemenal nerve and down the throat. It is not painfull but very weird and gross feeling.

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In the U.S., medical insurance normally covers part of eye exams regardless of whether one sees an optician or ophthalmologist. Some insurance plans cover part of the cost of glasses &/or contact lenses. It seems the out of pocket is still high for glasses/contacts & any doctor visits beyond once a year are also more expensive.

I agree, it’s hard to stop or cut back on exercises that make you feel good (hooray for endorphins!!) even if you know you might “pay” for it later. I am still a bit cautious w/ anything that strains my neck muscles & try to support my neck. I am doing more exercise with Pilates these days for strengthening using body weight. I hike for endurance.

Like dentist also, terrible expensive out off pocket.

It’s almost like it is cheaper to take your car to service than your teeth and overall health.

The struggles we are talking about regarding workout is also real in daily day to day activities. When i have the best days im tempted to do everything at once and do everything i couldn’t do when bedriden, but the outcome is a total burn out and much more intense pain/symptoms. That is what sucks the most about chronic illness i belive😖

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I’ve got an appointment at the nearest opthomologist the 27th off december. So i suppose i will come back with some news that day regarding eyesight.

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I totally agree about the exercise. As I’m getting older, I’m also finding I can’t exercise w/ the intensity I did when I was younger. My brain tells me I can but my body says, “NO!!” I suppose that’s because we don’t recover from the wear & tear of hard exercise as well when we’re older & certainly not as quickly!!

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I belive you, my father always told me to never get old as a joke haha :sweat_smile:

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I got a early christmas present from the optician, new glasses!

And wow, what a crazy difference!

I can see!

My vision suddently turned from 480p to 4K vision :rofl:

And the colours, woooow! I mean every colour i see is sharp as a razor.

No wonder i had bad eyesight, i must have been almost blind haha!

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@Henrik - Regaining your sight is definitely a wonderful Christmas gift! I’m so glad you took care of your eyes & reaped this great benefit!!

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That’s great news! :smiley:

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