Vision changes during chemo???? So frustrated!

Tinkerbells

Hello all!  When I was diagnosed I was already undergoing what my opthamologist believed was age-related vision changes.  Enter the lovely breast cancer diagnosis.  Right after surgery I was so concerned my onc sent me for a CT without contrast - all normal!  Opthamologist confirmed.  I started AC - vision still crappy but other fish to fry. Stated Taxol - vision gets worse.  Blurry, really dry eyes and more floaters (which I had before).  Told onc several times and she said it could be the chemo, that many have similar complaints.

My question to you all is - has anyone else noticed the same?  I was hoping it would improve after chemo but it's still crappy 6 weeks PFC.  Do I need to give it more time?  I am hoping to avoid yet another doctor appointment - but thinking it is inevitable they will send me back to opthamologist.  For what it's worth my eyes are still tearing all the time (thanks, Taxol!) and yet dry.  

I trust you ladies more than anything - looking forward to what you think. I'm trying really hard not to feed the fears but given that I have never had scans I am paranoid.

Sandra

WinningSoFar

I've had Abraxane (just about the same thing as taxol) twice and felt my vision deteriorated both times.  I also believe it corrected afterward after a time.  

Are you scared of a scan?  If so, don't be.  I've had so many in total I've  lost count.  I take something for claustrophobia, but that's it.  The last one I fell completely asleep.  Nothing to it really.  My imaging center is now using my port so there isn't even a stick.  I've had two brain MRIs, and honestly I don't even remember them.  Perhaps they are really short? 

Tinkerbells

I am not afraid of a scan - and would welcome one.  It's the MO and the Surgeon who are reluctant to order one! Thanks for sharing your experience - makes me feel better! Thought I was losing my mind there.

WinningSoFar

Oh, I see.  I'm also under the impression that taxol does cause temporary vision changes, but I think yours are perhaps worse than mine.  I can see though that with DCIS, they might be reluctant to order scans (and maybe your insurance would be reluctant to pay also).  Perhaps you should just give it more time.  Three months from now, I would think it should be cleared up. 

Jennie93

My regular eye checkup happened to fall during chemo, about halfway through it. When I told the eye dr about that, he immediately said that he would look in my eyes and see if they look healthy and all that, but would not even bother checking to see if my prescription was the same, because chemo can mess up your vision. Said to come back 6 months (!) PFC and do it then.  BTW my MO and chemo nurses never said a word about that SE!

Denise-G

When I was going through chemo, I had MANY eye changes.  I had been a contact lens wearer for 35 years and ever since chemo, have not been able to wear them.  My Opthamologist said it is quite common as is eye changes during and after chemotherapy.  I had a HECK OF A TIME finding a doctor to check my eyes to get an eyeglass prescription during chemo.  My eyes were dry, but tearing up, and distance and close vision all changed. 

blondiex46

I stopped chemo in june n my eyes r still watering  n i cant  see alot. It sucks

Agent99

Yep Me too! I finished TCH 2 weeks ago and my vision has gotten awful!  tears run down my face constantly and my eyes itch and twitch all the time. I don't even ask my doctors about side effects any more because I have had allllll of them and I have read that this is another common side effect of chemo.  I am hoping that it will clear up in the months ahead.  Hang in there

sewingnut

I also had vision changes during chemo. Had the dreaded taxotears. All along my eye Dr kept an eye on all the changes. We waited 5 months to be fitted with new glasses ( had to have glasses with bifocals). By then everything calmed down and was back to normal.

doxie

My eyes changed a great deal after chemo.  During the first year on arimidex and aromasin, I experienced severe blurred vision upon waking, often lasting all day.  Had several special tests and all negative.  Turns out it is plepharitis.  Check out this link.  

http://www.aoa.org/patients-and-public/eye-and-vis...

My eyes produce enough tears, as does someone with excessive tearing, but the eyes were not getting the coating of oil that keeps the tears from evaporating.  One symptom for me is slightly swollen eyelids indicating clogged oil glands.  I follow the eye wash routine in the link above, but put a hot compress on my eyes, not warm.  My ophthalmologist stressed the "hot."   The best control of this was when I was on antibiotics for a uti.  Sometimes antibiotics are given via eyedrops for serious cases.  

I don't know for certain, but I think the swollen eyelids started during chemo.  

Also, any severe decrease in estrogen production - chemo-pause, shut down of ovaries, stopping of HRT, and start of any AI could trigger eye problems such as posterior vitreous detachment.  

MomMom

I finished chemo (Taxol) on July 24 and 3 weeks later began excessive tearing in both eyes.  I've learned that clogged tear ducts and dry eyes are both fairly common SEs of Taxol, and that sometimes the symptoms go away on their own.  I should be so lucky!  Anyone out there had that experience??

My ophthalmologist diagnosed clogged tear ducts and sent me to an ophthalmologist plastic surgeon who tortured me twice.  Ugh.  The first visit, in an attempt to unclog them, he gouged around my tear ducts with some instruments and was able to drain the least affected eye.  He told me to return and he would do the other eye after numbing it with several shots - Yes, in the eyelid - so painful!! - with Lidocaine.  That tear duct drained too, but the problems of persistent watering eyes and red eyes still persist.  My regular doc suggested that we just wait for two months and if it doesn't improve, he will get an appointment for me with the best eye doctors in the country at Johns Hopkins, which is only an hour drive for me.  Looks like I'm headed there soon.  I would love to know of others' experiences with a similar problem and how it was resolved.

Thanks!

sewingnut

At the first sign of taxotears my Dr put me on a steroid drop called FML. While it didn't stop the tears it controlled them somewhat. I have to say my Dr treated aggressively because I have glaucoma. I used the drops for about 3 months.