Eyes

bdee · May 2010

Have your eyes gotten worse since dx or chemo started. My glasses are only six months old, same doctor I've been going to for years. Last Sunday I was ready for about twenty minutes when my husband asked me to look at the TV and tell him if we had seen the show coming on. The information about the show was in four sentences on the TV. I couldn't read a single word. I didn't read any more of my book and it was the third show before I could read any words from the TV screen.
This isn't the first time it has happened, just the longest. I'm going to call my eye doctor today, but I would like to know if it has happened to anyone else with cancer.
My diabetes has been in the good numbers for two or three years now. I keep it very controlled by diet and medicine.

Debbie In Arkansas

Sundanceh · May 2010

The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You:)
Hi Debbie

Sounds like a good plan. I've heard many folks talk about this problem, so it really must be an issue.

I remember my eyes getting worse during the Oxy and they would just water alot and burn. Some days I can see ok, and other days not as well, especially in the evening. I know what you mean sometimes when you just cannot make out a letter or number.

I use reading glasses sometimes, but not always and I'm almost 49, so I just chalked it up to getting older and my vision just not what it was.

I think it's a good idea to stay in touch with your eye doctor and tell him what's up. I'm sure they can make adjustments that will help you while on treatment.

After that, you'll have to see if your vision improves or stays steady.

Nice to see you.

-Craig

msccolon · May 2010

eye issues on chemo
I definitely saw my vision get worse while on treatment, but it actually improved a bit after treatment was over. I have been wearing glasses since before diagnosis, and really my overall prescription hasn't changed that much, although I am now in bifocals

.
mary

dianetavegia · May 2010

Debbie, yes
I've had cloudy vision since chemo began and it ended last August. I saw my eye surgeon who did my cataract surgery and he said my eyes are great (other than floaters). 20/20 and 20/40. He also said a study would never be done on the effects of chemo on vision because it isn't life threatening and tends to come and go. Dr. Harbin is one of the most respected eye surgeons in the country so I believe him but it sure is frustrating after always having such clear vision without glasses.

thready · May 2010

Vision
Debbie,
My vision did get worse as treatment went along. I am only 1 month out from finishing treatment and my onc said way 3-4 months before having my vision tested because it could improve.

I would suggest you keep your dr. posted about this because of the issue of nerve damage and since you are a diabetic you could have problems there all ready. So keep your onc and the dr that is following your diabetes up to date, you should also see your ophthalmologist.

Best wishes,
Jan

RickMurtagh · May 2010

Eyes
My site had gotten worse while on chemotherapy. On the up side I have increased range of depth when wearing my glasses now. Before I could only use my glasses to see clearly from 1.5 to 2 feet in front of my face. Now using my glasses things are clear from within 6 inches to five feet. Kind of cool actually. I would prefer my old vision back as I am sure a change of prescription would have given me a better range of depth when wearing my glasses. But since I have little to say on the matter, I 'll take what I can get. My surgeon also told me to wait a few months after surgery before I had my eyes checked again, since my vision might change from any number of factors, rapid weight loss being chief among them. Currently I am loosing about one pound every few days. That should stabilize soon though. Then I will have my eyes checked.

Jaylo969 · May 2010

Dim eyes
Yes, my eyes have gotten very dim...some days worse than others. I suspected it was from chemo and I spoke with my Onc about it just this past Tuesday. She confirmed that it is indeed the chemo and advised me to wait if I can until 3-4 months post chemo before getting new glasses because the eyes will be changing and the glasses might not be right after a few months. I agree w/her because that happened to me when I was in the throes of Graves Disease. Paid $400.00 for glasses that I couldn't even see out of 3 months later.

BTW- we took a 7 hour trip over the weekend ( to Arkansas! ) and I noticed that I am having trouble reading exit signs etc. but good news...I still can see the red sign that says S-T-O-P

-Pat

Annabelle41415 · May 2010

Oh What I Can See
Or not

Yes my eyes have changed big time since I have taken chemo. I got my new glasses the day before my resection and even though they are still working for me, I notice that I need my glasses way more than before, especially for close up. Could be age, could be chemo - who knows. My dad has had glasses since I was his age so it could be just genetic.

Kim

zenmonk · May 2010

wow
I could not believe someone else had this too. My eyes have never been the same since my treatment started. Then after my liver resection surgery they got worse. I asked my surgeon and he had no explanation for this saying "we never touched your eyes". I have always had 20/20 but now I have to get glasses. I am not sure how they are going to give me a perscription because they seem to always be changing.

lizzydavis · May 2010

zenmonk said:
wow
I could not believe someone else had this too. My eyes have never been the same since my treatment started. Then after my liver resection surgery they got worse. I asked my surgeon and he had no explanation for this saying "we never touched your eyes". I have always had 20/20 but now I have to get glasses. I am not sure how they are going to give me a perscription because they seem to always be changing.

Yes, I had problems with my eyes and reported it.
Yes, I had problems with my eyes and reported it. I truly believe that the ophthalmologists and optometrists do not have enough information on chemo to understand the side effects. They are just not informed about chemo. I mentioned the changes in my eyes and was told that they don't know. I definitely had problems with my eyes. Problems included blurriness, difficulty seeing even with my glasses and burning. I was frightened when I couldn't see and luckily my husband kept saying, "just give it time."

-- After chemo, my eyes did improve. The chemo does cause problems with your eyes.

Happyhar · May 2010

lizzydavis said:
Yes, I had problems with my eyes and reported it.
Yes, I had problems with my eyes and reported it. I truly believe that the ophthalmologists and optometrists do not have enough information on chemo to understand the side effects. They are just not informed about chemo. I mentioned the changes in my eyes and was told that they don't know. I definitely had problems with my eyes. Problems included blurriness, difficulty seeing even with my glasses and burning. I was frightened when I couldn't see and luckily my husband kept saying, "just give it time."

-- After chemo, my eyes did improve. The chemo does cause problems with your eyes.

Eyes
Yep, seems universal. Sounds like for most of us --not a major problem, but a concern and agrivation. I was advised not to rub them too much???

msccolon · May 2010

eyes and teeth
Seems the response on eye issues is similar to the response on dental issues. We all know that there's a link to dental issues and chemo just by sitting in an onc waiting room and talking to other people who have had chemo and who now have major issues. My dentist said she'd never heard of any connections, although she thought maybe it had to do with dry mouth. Well, there actually is literature out there somewhere that I stumbled upon that did make a connection to chemo and dental issues, as there was a connection to chemo and eye issues, but the vast majority of doctors in those fields are unaware of them. I suppose there's only so much specialty information we can expect them to have considering the total amount of specific knowledge they need to be at the top of their game. Perhaps we can help educate them! Even our oncs, when you think about the sheer NUMBER of different chemotherapy drugs there are out there, if your onc doesn't specifically specialize in colon cancer treatment, figure the odds they've had enough of a set of colon cancer patients to see the entire spectrum of side effects possible from the drugs we receive.
mary

Eyes

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