Lyme Files: Vision

I never had good vision - let's be clear. I come from a long line of bad vision. I was going to need glasses or contacts.

Lyme did ravage my one eye, though. It is far worse than my other eye - my body was fighting this fight naked and alone, it made a decision that my naturally weaker eye would get less nutrients. The muscles are weaker and my vision was always slipping

My Lyme doctor, Dr. Burke, wanted me to visit an eye doctor who specialized in Lyme related things. I never went. I go to the same eye doctor I always did.

Even though the degeneration of my eye was clearly documented throughout the years, it was just. . .what I had.

In the long run, if part of my vision loss was due to Lyme, I probably wouldn't really be able to tell.

What I see
My vision was a mass of floaters a lot of the time. I get them occasionally and everyone has gotten them - mine were just like bumper cars at an amusement park. There was no point that I didn't have floaters. They aren't harmful in themselves and they aren't unnatural in general. But having a lot can be a sign of issues.

Floaters

The other problem I had with my vision was right before I got diagnosed.

My 10,000 yard stare was not only because my body could barely function and staring blankly at a wall was just fine in my book - it was because my brain had swelled so much it was pushing against my eyeballs. This made my vision tremble and I could not focus on anything in front of me.

I could no long read because it was as if my head was rapidly shaking back and forth. The farther things were from me, the less dizzy I would get from it.

So I sat, staring at the farthest point from me one summer evening.

I remember telling my Dad - I couldn't read, things were moving too much. I just wanted to look where I wouldn't be sick. It's a state where you are use to using your eyes to find your place in the world and now the world is bouncing around. Your eyes are always weak - you can't focus on anything with them going all blurry. It's the same thing that happens when you are really tired and can't read a computer screen - it was just happening all the time.

When I got my diagnosis - Dr. Burke warned me that I could have a stroke. My brain was pushing down my spine, against my eyeballs and a stroke would be happening soon if I didn't start treatment. Even with treatment, he wasn't sure I wouldn't have one.

We weren't concerned with my vision.

The Others
There was on man who was going through treatment who did lose his vision. He was self-employed and his insurance would not cover any treatments. As a result, he paid 100% for his insurance and then 100% for the cost of his medical. When the insurance denied his need for treatment to keep his vision, Dr. Burke went to bat for him and they sued the insurance company.

Ultimately, he lost his vision.