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Ve Had Blurry Eyes For A Month Now. Now There
Question: 've had blurry eyes for a month now. Now there is some pain too. I don't want to move my eyes or read signs. I have a hard time going from something right in front of me to something farther away, like a digital clock.
I took too much Viagra one weekend and I think thatthis has caused it. THREE eye exams showed 20/20 and no eye damage.
What might I be dealing with here?I fear that since it has been about a month that this will never go away.
One of the docs mentioned Ischemic Optic Neuropathy. Another said it might be Optic Neuritis. Ohers have suggested eye strain. Almost all have said that it is highly unlikely that this is permanent, but then why have symptoms not gone away after 1 month?
I took too much Viagra one weekend and I think thatthis has caused it. THREE eye exams showed 20/20 and no eye damage.
What might I be dealing with here?I fear that since it has been about a month that this will never go away.
One of the docs mentioned Ischemic Optic Neuropathy. Another said it might be Optic Neuritis. Ohers have suggested eye strain. Almost all have said that it is highly unlikely that this is permanent, but then why have symptoms not gone away after 1 month?
've had blurry eyes for a month now. Now there is some pain too. I don't want to move my eyes or read signs. I have a hard time going from something right in front of me to something farther away, like a digital clock.
I took too much Viagra one weekend and I think thatthis has caused it. THREE eye exams showed 20/20 and no eye damage.
What might I be dealing with here?I fear that since it has been about a month that this will never go away.
One of the docs mentioned Ischemic Optic Neuropathy. Another said it might be Optic Neuritis. Ohers have suggested eye strain. Almost all have said that it is highly unlikely that this is permanent, but then why have symptoms not gone away after 1 month?
I took too much Viagra one weekend and I think thatthis has caused it. THREE eye exams showed 20/20 and no eye damage.
What might I be dealing with here?I fear that since it has been about a month that this will never go away.
One of the docs mentioned Ischemic Optic Neuropathy. Another said it might be Optic Neuritis. Ohers have suggested eye strain. Almost all have said that it is highly unlikely that this is permanent, but then why have symptoms not gone away after 1 month?
Brief Answer:
See below
Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. Given your history, especially if you took Viagra and Cialis together at high doses, and you noticed this shortly afterwards, my suspicion would be for nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. If you have a history of sleep apnea or anything else that might have lowered your blood pressure, this can also increase the risk of this happening. Viagra and Cialis likely alter blood pressure regulation in a way that causes decreased blood flow to the eye and the lack of oxygen injures the optic nerve. Other symptoms you describe that support this diagnosis is that pain does not seem to be a main complaint, and vision can sometimes be 20/20. If you had any loss of color vision this would also support this diagnosis.
Optic neuritis would be more common at your age, but usually pain is a prominent feature. Other causes would be less likely at your age.
The only way to know for sure what is going on will be with an exam by an ophthalmologist to look at your retina and optic nerve.
You should certainly stop using any erectile dysfunction medications. Approximately one third of patients can have significant improvement in vision. From my reading there are no effective treatments for this condition.
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any other questions about that and I would be glad to discuss it further with you.
See below
Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. Given your history, especially if you took Viagra and Cialis together at high doses, and you noticed this shortly afterwards, my suspicion would be for nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. If you have a history of sleep apnea or anything else that might have lowered your blood pressure, this can also increase the risk of this happening. Viagra and Cialis likely alter blood pressure regulation in a way that causes decreased blood flow to the eye and the lack of oxygen injures the optic nerve. Other symptoms you describe that support this diagnosis is that pain does not seem to be a main complaint, and vision can sometimes be 20/20. If you had any loss of color vision this would also support this diagnosis.
Optic neuritis would be more common at your age, but usually pain is a prominent feature. Other causes would be less likely at your age.
The only way to know for sure what is going on will be with an exam by an ophthalmologist to look at your retina and optic nerve.
You should certainly stop using any erectile dysfunction medications. Approximately one third of patients can have significant improvement in vision. From my reading there are no effective treatments for this condition.
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any other questions about that and I would be glad to discuss it further with you.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Brief Answer:
See below
Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. Given your history, especially if you took Viagra and Cialis together at high doses, and you noticed this shortly afterwards, my suspicion would be for nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. If you have a history of sleep apnea or anything else that might have lowered your blood pressure, this can also increase the risk of this happening. Viagra and Cialis likely alter blood pressure regulation in a way that causes decreased blood flow to the eye and the lack of oxygen injures the optic nerve. Other symptoms you describe that support this diagnosis is that pain does not seem to be a main complaint, and vision can sometimes be 20/20. If you had any loss of color vision this would also support this diagnosis.
Optic neuritis would be more common at your age, but usually pain is a prominent feature. Other causes would be less likely at your age.
The only way to know for sure what is going on will be with an exam by an ophthalmologist to look at your retina and optic nerve.
You should certainly stop using any erectile dysfunction medications. Approximately one third of patients can have significant improvement in vision. From my reading there are no effective treatments for this condition.
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any other questions about that and I would be glad to discuss it further with you.
See below
Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. Given your history, especially if you took Viagra and Cialis together at high doses, and you noticed this shortly afterwards, my suspicion would be for nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. If you have a history of sleep apnea or anything else that might have lowered your blood pressure, this can also increase the risk of this happening. Viagra and Cialis likely alter blood pressure regulation in a way that causes decreased blood flow to the eye and the lack of oxygen injures the optic nerve. Other symptoms you describe that support this diagnosis is that pain does not seem to be a main complaint, and vision can sometimes be 20/20. If you had any loss of color vision this would also support this diagnosis.
Optic neuritis would be more common at your age, but usually pain is a prominent feature. Other causes would be less likely at your age.
The only way to know for sure what is going on will be with an exam by an ophthalmologist to look at your retina and optic nerve.
You should certainly stop using any erectile dysfunction medications. Approximately one third of patients can have significant improvement in vision. From my reading there are no effective treatments for this condition.
I hope that helps, please let me know if you have any other questions about that and I would be glad to discuss it further with you.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Ok. Thank you NAION is what I fear may have happened. I wish that my doc who prescribed both Cialis and Viagra (90 each for cost purposes in ordering from a Canadian pharmacy) had advised me not to take both and warned me of the risks of taking more than recommended.
Anyways, I have seen an opthamologist who found nothing wrong with all of the typical examinations. I do not have any color loss. Pain is mild. I am seeing a retina specialist next Tuesday. My eyes just feel weird and I have trouble focusing. I feel dizzy, off balance.
I have been using eye drops and readers. They seem to help me but something is still off. My bedroom is very dry because of wall electric heating units. Another online doc thought I might have dry eyes. I'm trying to address this but I'm not sure.
If it is NAION, hopefully I will be one of the 1/3 people that improves on my own.
I am worried sick that this is irreversible. Since it has been a month.
Do the 1/3 of people that improve regain 100% sight again? Where are you getting this information?
Thank you
Anyways, I have seen an opthamologist who found nothing wrong with all of the typical examinations. I do not have any color loss. Pain is mild. I am seeing a retina specialist next Tuesday. My eyes just feel weird and I have trouble focusing. I feel dizzy, off balance.
I have been using eye drops and readers. They seem to help me but something is still off. My bedroom is very dry because of wall electric heating units. Another online doc thought I might have dry eyes. I'm trying to address this but I'm not sure.
If it is NAION, hopefully I will be one of the 1/3 people that improves on my own.
I am worried sick that this is irreversible. Since it has been a month.
Do the 1/3 of people that improve regain 100% sight again? Where are you getting this information?
Thank you
Ok. Thank you NAION is what I fear may have happened. I wish that my doc who prescribed both Cialis and Viagra (90 each for cost purposes in ordering from a Canadian pharmacy) had advised me not to take both and warned me of the risks of taking more than recommended.
Anyways, I have seen an opthamologist who found nothing wrong with all of the typical examinations. I do not have any color loss. Pain is mild. I am seeing a retina specialist next Tuesday. My eyes just feel weird and I have trouble focusing. I feel dizzy, off balance.
I have been using eye drops and readers. They seem to help me but something is still off. My bedroom is very dry because of wall electric heating units. Another online doc thought I might have dry eyes. I'm trying to address this but I'm not sure.
If it is NAION, hopefully I will be one of the 1/3 people that improves on my own.
I am worried sick that this is irreversible. Since it has been a month.
Do the 1/3 of people that improve regain 100% sight again? Where are you getting this information?
Thank you
Anyways, I have seen an opthamologist who found nothing wrong with all of the typical examinations. I do not have any color loss. Pain is mild. I am seeing a retina specialist next Tuesday. My eyes just feel weird and I have trouble focusing. I feel dizzy, off balance.
I have been using eye drops and readers. They seem to help me but something is still off. My bedroom is very dry because of wall electric heating units. Another online doc thought I might have dry eyes. I'm trying to address this but I'm not sure.
If it is NAION, hopefully I will be one of the 1/3 people that improves on my own.
I am worried sick that this is irreversible. Since it has been a month.
Do the 1/3 of people that improve regain 100% sight again? Where are you getting this information?
Thank you
Brief Answer:
See below
Detailed Answer:
Normally it would be expected to see optic nerve abnormalities on the slit lamp exam. Did the ophthalmologist have anything to say about it?
The studies that I have seen did not say that there was 100% recovery of vision, so I would not expect that. But from what you've said, it does not sound like your visual acuity has been effected, so that may be a good sign that you're vision may go back to normal, or it may indicate something else is going on. I hope the retina specialist can make a clear diagnosis.
My source is Uptodate, which looks at the most recent studies and gives information to doctors by experts in the field. A few such references for the recovery from NAION can be found at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=0000 and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=0000.
See below
Detailed Answer:
Normally it would be expected to see optic nerve abnormalities on the slit lamp exam. Did the ophthalmologist have anything to say about it?
The studies that I have seen did not say that there was 100% recovery of vision, so I would not expect that. But from what you've said, it does not sound like your visual acuity has been effected, so that may be a good sign that you're vision may go back to normal, or it may indicate something else is going on. I hope the retina specialist can make a clear diagnosis.
My source is Uptodate, which looks at the most recent studies and gives information to doctors by experts in the field. A few such references for the recovery from NAION can be found at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=0000 and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=0000.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Brief Answer:
See below
Detailed Answer:
Normally it would be expected to see optic nerve abnormalities on the slit lamp exam. Did the ophthalmologist have anything to say about it?
The studies that I have seen did not say that there was 100% recovery of vision, so I would not expect that. But from what you've said, it does not sound like your visual acuity has been effected, so that may be a good sign that you're vision may go back to normal, or it may indicate something else is going on. I hope the retina specialist can make a clear diagnosis.
My source is Uptodate, which looks at the most recent studies and gives information to doctors by experts in the field. A few such references for the recovery from NAION can be found at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=0000 and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=0000.
See below
Detailed Answer:
Normally it would be expected to see optic nerve abnormalities on the slit lamp exam. Did the ophthalmologist have anything to say about it?
The studies that I have seen did not say that there was 100% recovery of vision, so I would not expect that. But from what you've said, it does not sound like your visual acuity has been effected, so that may be a good sign that you're vision may go back to normal, or it may indicate something else is going on. I hope the retina specialist can make a clear diagnosis.
My source is Uptodate, which looks at the most recent studies and gives information to doctors by experts in the field. A few such references for the recovery from NAION can be found at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=0000 and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=0000.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Thank you.
I just had my FOURTH exam yesterday. Again, the analysis is that my eyes are fine. She said blood flow to eyes was normal. No optic nerve damage was seen.
I guess my eyes are just stating to slip and that I have jumped to the conclusion that it is the ED meds. Still, something doesn't feel quite right, but then again I'm used to my vision being perfect.
She said, like the others, that this is just part of aging. She wrote me a prescription and said to try that for a month and see how I feel.
I think I might stop taking the meds, even though I really need them. I had a botched vasectomy 3 years ago that has made my erections very weak.
I just had my FOURTH exam yesterday. Again, the analysis is that my eyes are fine. She said blood flow to eyes was normal. No optic nerve damage was seen.
I guess my eyes are just stating to slip and that I have jumped to the conclusion that it is the ED meds. Still, something doesn't feel quite right, but then again I'm used to my vision being perfect.
She said, like the others, that this is just part of aging. She wrote me a prescription and said to try that for a month and see how I feel.
I think I might stop taking the meds, even though I really need them. I had a botched vasectomy 3 years ago that has made my erections very weak.
Thank you.
I just had my FOURTH exam yesterday. Again, the analysis is that my eyes are fine. She said blood flow to eyes was normal. No optic nerve damage was seen.
I guess my eyes are just stating to slip and that I have jumped to the conclusion that it is the ED meds. Still, something doesn't feel quite right, but then again I'm used to my vision being perfect.
She said, like the others, that this is just part of aging. She wrote me a prescription and said to try that for a month and see how I feel.
I think I might stop taking the meds, even though I really need them. I had a botched vasectomy 3 years ago that has made my erections very weak.
I just had my FOURTH exam yesterday. Again, the analysis is that my eyes are fine. She said blood flow to eyes was normal. No optic nerve damage was seen.
I guess my eyes are just stating to slip and that I have jumped to the conclusion that it is the ED meds. Still, something doesn't feel quite right, but then again I'm used to my vision being perfect.
She said, like the others, that this is just part of aging. She wrote me a prescription and said to try that for a month and see how I feel.
I think I might stop taking the meds, even though I really need them. I had a botched vasectomy 3 years ago that has made my erections very weak.
Brief Answer:
See below
Detailed Answer:
I'm glad to hear that your exams have been normal. I agree that if nothing was seen on the exam, NAION would be less likely and this is probably normal aging. Sometimes patients experience a gradual decline that suddenly becomes noticeable, and they feel like it just happened. I hope the prescription helps.
As long as you only take one of the erectile dysfunction medications within the recommended dosage, I don't think you should worry about any problems with it, it would be unlikely to cause further damage even if you did have an adverse reaction from the high dosage you took before.
See below
Detailed Answer:
I'm glad to hear that your exams have been normal. I agree that if nothing was seen on the exam, NAION would be less likely and this is probably normal aging. Sometimes patients experience a gradual decline that suddenly becomes noticeable, and they feel like it just happened. I hope the prescription helps.
As long as you only take one of the erectile dysfunction medications within the recommended dosage, I don't think you should worry about any problems with it, it would be unlikely to cause further damage even if you did have an adverse reaction from the high dosage you took before.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Brief Answer:
See below
Detailed Answer:
I'm glad to hear that your exams have been normal. I agree that if nothing was seen on the exam, NAION would be less likely and this is probably normal aging. Sometimes patients experience a gradual decline that suddenly becomes noticeable, and they feel like it just happened. I hope the prescription helps.
As long as you only take one of the erectile dysfunction medications within the recommended dosage, I don't think you should worry about any problems with it, it would be unlikely to cause further damage even if you did have an adverse reaction from the high dosage you took before.
See below
Detailed Answer:
I'm glad to hear that your exams have been normal. I agree that if nothing was seen on the exam, NAION would be less likely and this is probably normal aging. Sometimes patients experience a gradual decline that suddenly becomes noticeable, and they feel like it just happened. I hope the prescription helps.
As long as you only take one of the erectile dysfunction medications within the recommended dosage, I don't think you should worry about any problems with it, it would be unlikely to cause further damage even if you did have an adverse reaction from the high dosage you took before.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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