Conditions which affect the nervous and general health system, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, thyroid dysfunction, Huntington’s disease, and many others, can severely affect vision function and eye health. It is important for anyone with any of these conditions to have a comprehensive examination for visual effects. The office is wheelchair friendly with a handicapped accessible toilet.
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| Parkinson’s Disease commonly causes significant dry eye, with symptoms of burning, grittiness, sore and tired eyes and even watering eyes. Treatment involves careful assessment of the pattern of the dry eye problems and treatment with a combination of selected drops, together sometimes with hot compresses and massage of the eyelids to improve gland function. It is also common to experience blurring or ghosting or even double vision when trying to read, which causes severe difficulty reading comfortably for any length of time. This can be treated with appropriate glasses using prisms to help the eyes to work together more easily, which often makes reading easier for longer periods. The risk of falling is increased with Parkinson's disease, and it is very important to have vision working as well as possible, and to check for signs of other issues such as cataracts which can affect vision and increase your risk of falls.
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) in the early stages may be diagnosed as Parkinson's disease, but typically medication makes little difference to the symptoms, and eye movement abilities are very different to Parkinson's disease. Vision symptoms are similar in the early stages, with dry eye problems and difficulty reading, which can be treated as detailed above. People with PSP develop a stiff neck which often makes looking upwards extremely difficult, and this and other visual problems can contribute to an increased risk of falls backwards, so vision problems need to be treated comprehensively.
Multiple sclerosis frequently, but not always, involves episodes of sudden dimming or loss of vision due to inflammation of the optic nerve (optic neuritis). Vision gradually returns, but there may be residual problems in colour vision, focusing and peripheral vision which can affect reading and driving, and all of these issues need to be carefully assessed by an optometrist experienced in the condition, to understand the practical effects and provide treatment wherever possible.
Myasthenia gravis may occur with general symptoms or may only have eye symptoms (ocular myasthenia). These may include a drooping eyelid (ptosis), intermittent double vision at distance or near, and difficulty focusing properly. Comprehensive examination can determine the issues and provide treatment which often makes a significant difference to visual function for work and everyday life. It is also important to have an experienced eyecare practitioner monitor eye health and vision function with the use of steroids to control myasthenia. |
