Hi everyone hope you are all doing well?
I wanted to ask if anyone had problems with their vision since being diagnosed and starting treatment, most evenings I get really tired (as we all do I am sure- unless you are lucky) and things start to get blurry. If I look up from the computer/book it takes a moment to focus. Reading is a bit blurry too now. Always had perfect vision but this is getting worse so booked an eye test for next week. Steve, my husband, thinks it is just my age and because I am so tired (I am 38) but I wondered if CML does affect your vision?
Appreciate your thoughts.
Thank goodness for this wonderful website, I would go nuts without it!
Emma x
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Blurry vision - side effects or am I just tired/getting old?
Hi Emma
Hope your well, prior to being diagnosed i kept losing the vision in the side of my eyes. I was told this was due to my platelets. Since being on my meds i have only had this happen very few times. I'm always tired in the evning and struggle to read due to tiredness more than my eyes. An eye test is a good idea just to check if u need specs etc for reading.
Your job- if you are made redundant i'm sure you don't have to tell potential new employers that you have CML and if you do just explain to them that you are in a good place and your levels are good.
Hope this helps
Ni x
I found that my eyes were quite blurry at first, especially during the first month, when I was on Allopurinol as well as Glivec. It's a lot better now, though I do have occasional blips. I put the blurriness down to watery eyes and swelling round my eyes, the swelling is worse in the morning, improves during the day, but the wateriness is fairly constant. I had a recent eye test and was fine.
I'm currently trying some nail stuff from Avon, which you paint on twice a day for a week. So far, it seems to be helping a bit to reduce the flakiness, but it's early days yet.
I agree that blurry vision is to do with the side effect of water retention and puffiness etc around the eye area (periorbital oedaema) affects vision throughout the day- and especially for close reading and also as Ni mentions, the excess production of tears. This is a common side effect and is worse in some people than others. I always suffered quite badly from this and did not find many ways to counter it- other than drinking more water to support my kidney function which does help.
Olivia metions the 'loss of vision' from the side. I too had this- but before diagnosis, so it is likely to be as she says, an effect of CML and platelet function rather than an effect of imatinib. I still occasionally suffer from visual disturbances similar to this and understand this to be the symptoms of 'silent migraine' ...i.e migraine that does not necessarily present as an extremely painful headache.
Re: flaking/weak nails etc. As nails and hair are more or less made of the same 'stuff'.... keratin... maybe it is a sign that you need to look at nutrional supplements. In my experience, taking a good B complex tab (one that provides 50-100mg) daily helps. Nails are an indicator of general health. I use one by 'HealthAid' called B50 (you can also get B100) which has helped improved the strength of my nails over time. I think it is worth the investment.
Also I take iodine, vit E, beta carotine, magnesium and more recently Vit D3 (5000 iu) on a daily basis. Recent research has shown a high dose of Vit D3 is essential... there is plenty of information online.
Best... Sandy
thanks for your messages.
I had an eye test today, my eyes are healthy but i am now very slightly longsighted so need glasses to read/go on laptop in the evenings or when tired.
the episode that started the blurry vision was probably a migraine or blurry vision through being tired.
most people aged 35-40 start to need glasses for reading the optician said.
glad my eyes are ok and it is not anything to do with the cml - will i always assume every ache and pain is assciated with my cml now??????????
going to pick some funky glasses tomorrow!
thanks again
emma x