Eye Therapy?

Recently, I went to the ophthalmologist to get contacts. It was supposed to be a relatively easy process. With my glasses constantly fogging due to my mask, I figured it was time. I would try out contacts to see how they went. I got more than I bargained for. The ophthalmologist was concerned to find out that I’ve never seen 20/20. This isn’t rare for me. I often struggle on the refraction test because letters change. Years before I discovered my neurological problems, I was told to see a neurologist. I shrugged it off and joked about how ridiculous that was. I didn’t have any real problems. The joke was on me because I did.

I had to go through an extensive eye exam to check the health of my eye. My vision prescription changed every time I was refracted. My astigmatism changed. Everything continued to change and lacked consistency. Apparently, this is a big red flag. I continually asked questions. I wondered what they were looking for. I wanted to know what was happening and why there was so much concern. They walked me through the process and assured me that they just wanted to help me the best they could.

After all the testing was done they came to a few various conclusions. These conclusions came in the form of three new diagnoses. Essentially, my eyes don’t work together. That is why I’ve had my eye “float” in the past. They aren’t consistently working together to help me see, so things change and morph. Along with this issue, my nerves aren’t working properly in my eye. I guess it’s one nerve in particular but I couldn’t tell you which. This again means that it’s difficult for my eyes to compensate for new situations. They don’t work quickly. They don’t adapt the way normal eyes can. Finally, my eyes basically fatigue too fast. When you move an object and ask me to switch my focus, I can’t do it. I get dizzy. I’ve failed the exam multiple times neurologically but without explanation.

What does this all mean? Essentially, this explains why it’s difficult for me to associate where I am in space. I see objects alright with my glasses but I have a perception issue. I can’t tell accurately where things are in relation to me. This is a big issue in my daily life that I didn’t have a name for until now. This explains a lot of what makes me symptomatic. It also explains why I’m reliant on a bifocal at such a young age. My eyes don’t have the endurance to read for long durations without a significant amount of help.

So what do I do now? The short answer is eye therapy. They said that it will likely be something I will have to work on throughout my life. My neurological issues make this situation more complicated. However, they feel confident that it’s relatively fixable. I felt discouraged when I once again had more things wrong. The reality is though that this is an answer. This is another puzzle piece that makes the picture come into focus. It also has a solution. It may not be perfect but it’s definitely worth a try.

If you’re struggling, I would definitely suggest going to the ophthalmologist. This answered a lot of questions that were completely unknown. Now, I can start working to improve things.

I hope that your day is going well. I hope that your day is filled with joy, positivity, and laughter. I hope you find peace, love, and happiness.