My Vision Difficulties Because of Myasthenia Gravis
I usually don’t have a lot of myasthenia gravis (MG) symptoms anymore, but I do still have some. One of these symptoms has to do with my eyes and vision.
I was diagnosed with ocular MG, but I no longer have double vision or ptosis (they cleared up several years ago.) Once my MG was under control, my eyes rarely bothered me. However, it seems no matter how much my eyes improve or how well-controlled my MG, I still have some minor eye issues. And recently, my eyes and vision are becoming a little worse.
Blurred vision
One of my issues is occasional blurred vision. Sometimes my vision is clear, while other times it’s blurred to the point that I struggle to read anything at a distance, such as the guide on television. Even with my glasses on, it can be a struggle. Other times, I can see the guide clearly. It seems to worsen more when I’m tired or I haven’t gotten enough sleep. However, there are times it does linger for a few days.
The blurred vision becomes quite frustrating. Along with it comes eye discomfort. My eyes feel like they have sand in them. I tend to rub them a lot when this symptom arises. This issue will usually improve after more sleep, and sometimes I need to rest for 2 or 3 days.
Dealing with bright lights while driving
Another issue I have with my eyes is dealing with bright lights, especially at night. I now try to avoid driving at night whenever I can. But it’s just me and my husband at home, and he’s been ill for quite some time so he isn’t driving yet. Therefore, it’s up to me to get us where we need to go. We usually try to make appointments so we are home before dark, but in the winter, sometimes that’s impossible. I’ll sure be glad when he can drive more again.
Nighttime driving makes me a little concerned. I’ve tried yellow lenses, but they don’t seem to help much. Most car headlights are easy enough to deal with, but then there are those people who refuse to dim or that have very bright LED lights. They tend to bother me more, especially if they are improperly aimed.
I generally slow down and make sure I am not distracted so I can concentrate. I find that city driving is fine. But out in the countryside when the surroundings are dark, the bright headlights bother me more.
The impact it has had on my independence
This eye situation has greatly frustrated me. I used to be able to drive over 1,000 miles from Tennessee to Colorado by myself with only a short break. The drive didn’t bother me and I didn’t tire much. Now, I doubt I could drive 150 to 200 miles!
This is one thing MG has caused that has been difficult for me to accept. I’ve always been very independent and having to give up driving at night will not be easy for me. First, getting a wheelchair was difficult to give in to, but my vision causing me to limit my driving is much worse!
Hopefully when I see my ophthalmologist again they can help me find a solution. I know my husband found lenses that help him see better at night, so maybe they can help me, too.
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