I Can be Rebuilt: Cataract Surgery

As a kid I remember watching TV shows about people being rebuilt bionically. Now here I am, cataract surgery in both eyes, getting shots in my lumbar and cervical spine on a regular basis, not to mention the 4 surgeries I've had.

As far as myasthenia gravis (MG) goes, there's the pyridostigmine (Mestinon), prednisone, and CellCept that have all been helping me ... although barely keeping me functioning. And now, the miracle of IVIG treatment. I know that this treatment can stop working at some point and that it doesn't help everyone with MG, but for now it's been a miracle for me.

More diagnoses in the past 3 years

In the last 3 years, I fought to get a myasthenia gravis diagnosis after having symptoms for my entire adult life. I have had my second hernia surgery (with precautions in place because of the MG diagnosis.) I was also diagnosed with a Chiari malformation and some type of arthritis.

The doctors are leaning towards osteoarthritis, but I had a slightly positive psoriatic arthritis test. The doctor also told me it could be seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, but it doesn't matter because I am already on the same medication for both psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis because the MG.

I also have degenerative disc and joint disease, stenosis, something about a patch fluid on my spine, and bone spurs. Yeah ... you name it, and it's in my spine. By the way, none of this plays well with MG.

Severe vision problems

My regular eye doctor has been telling me that I have had cataracts for the last 3 years. Then last year, my neurologist referred me to a neuro ophthalmologist because of my vision problems to figure out if they were related to the MG or not. You know the ptosis, double vision, blurry vision, and all the other vision problems that go with MG. Mine were quite severe.

This neuro ophthalmologist informed me that I did not have cataracts and that all of these "vision problems" were in my head! Yet, he told my neurologist to keep treating the MG. Frustratingly, it had gotten to the point that I couldn't see anything. I couldn't focus on anything. It was horrible. I was falling over and could not be left alone.

After cataracts surgery

I ended up getting cataract surgery. I got the first eye done and it was amazing! Now with both eyes done, I have 20/20 vision at a distance (I still need reading glasses). It was funny how the ophthalmologist that did my cataract surgery stated he could see the MG ptosis as soon as he walked into the room.

I told him what the neuro ophthalmologist said about me and my vision issues being in my head. The ophthalmologist just shook his head. He told me that if the double vision didn't clear up after the cataract surgery, he would see about getting me some prism glasses to see if that helped!

Little did I know that cataracts can cause double vision, blurry vision, and some of the other symptoms that are common with MG.¹