Help with an eye problem?

[Kyobanim]

Sorry, no graphic pics.

I've seen a doc about this but no joy. Here it is.

I wear glasses, progressive lenses. When I get a cold or flu my left eye "blurs out". It's like I'm not wearing glasses. The right eye is fine. Seems to occur when my sinuses are affected with whatever illness I have. I can see no discoloration in the eye, no swelling that I can tell. Plenty of moisture.

My GP says there's nothing wrong, eye doc says he sees nothing. No glaucoma or any abnormalities. But this drives me crazy. Problem goes away usually a week or so after the illness does. It also happens if I go for several days on little sleep.

I've got to go to the eye doc next month for the checkup and new specs and I'd like to have some kind of amunition to shoot at him to get this taken care of or at least diagnosed.

Thanks

[Sacamuelas]

Tough one for the internet Bbdb.

Lots of potential causes of "blurry vision" in one eye. I will base my post on the assumption that you mean it is blurry because of the excess tearing. If not, then disregard this info.

Since you are asking for guesses.... I will give thoughts but please understand that I am not recommending you see an ENT for specific testing for this diagnosis. Talk with your Doctor about it and use him/her to guide your treatment.

Summary-
Your symptoms are of a "watery eye" only during a sinus infection/congestion and only affect the same eye right? It happens every time you have serious sinus congestion correct?

With that info, I would lean against a medication induced vision problem, as they would tend to affect both eyes similarly.

I see it in main possibilities:
1. An alteration in the composition of your tear production that is leading to either excess flow or altered mucous/water composition. This could be caused by taking medications to treat your congestion in your sinuses.

2. (my best guess) You are experiencing mild Nasolacrimal duct blockage in your left eye. This is the duct that drains the tears from your eyes down through into your nasal cavity. If your sinus inflammation is severe enough, it could cause a partial blockage of the NLD that would produce the symptoms you have.

The reason I like this diagnosis is it tends to fit your (recurrent- left eye only -sinus congestion only) scenario. The ducts for the left and right eye are separate entities. Each travels its own path into the sinuses. Therefore, it is possible that your left NLD could have narrowed over time, become partially blocked by a polyp, or be more susceptible to this blockage due to the anatomy in that side of your nasal sinuses. Also, it only affects you when your sinuses are "blocked" or congested due to membrane inflammation. One duct could easily become blocked by inflammation of the sinus lining more than the other NLD based on your specific nasal anatomy. Your repeated problem with only the left tends to follow that pattern.

If your Doc decided this could be the problem, specific testing can be done to determine blockage and quantify your "drainage system" of each eye.

That is my educated guess... I must say that this is something that is difficult if not impossible to ID over the net. Maybe others on here can help.

Here. Stole a pic to give you an understanding of the NLD system.

[Sacamuelas]

This is a better pic demonstration....

[lrd]

My right eye has been doing this for years. It never occurred to me that it could be fixed; I thought it was just something I had to live with.

Thanks for the info, Sacamuelas, and for asking the question, Bbdb.

[Kyobanim]

The only thing I don't have is a teary eye but, I DO take nitequill during these types of illnesses. Maybe it's the medicine factor. I just take recommended doses but, ...

Tonight before I went to the studio I did one of those major nose blows to try to clear out the affected sinus and it did clear it. To the point to where it hurt like I inhaled water in my nose. Major amounts of viscous mucous. (that's the technical word for snot, right?) After the pain went away the vision has miraculously cleared.

I am going to discuss this with the doc next week. Thanks, Sacamuelas, for the info.

[Eagle5US]

All hail Sacaojos!!! :cool:

Eagle

[Sacamuelas]

by BBDB

When I get a cold or flu my left eye "blurs out". It's like I'm not wearing glasses. The right eye is fine. Seems to occur when my sinuses are affected with whatever illness I have. I can see no discoloration in the eye, no swelling that I can tell. Plenty of moisture.


LOL!!
Come on Eagle... help me out a little. :D
YOu are just making fun because you probably know I am wrong. LOL



BBDB:
If you really have no excess fluid in your eye(not necessarily to the level of crying but more than normal) then you may not fall into my original Dx. I quoted the part of your post on why I thought you were experiencing this problem. I may have misinterpreted your post. UH OH.. we may be back to the drawing board. LOL

You are not experiencing double vision are you?

[Eagle5US]

Originally posted by Sacamuelas
LOL!!
Come on Eagle... help me out a little. :D
YOu are just making fun because you probably know I am wrong. LOL

You are right on track as far as I was thinking. The other would be some sort of hyperactivity to the tear duct itself or a concomittant infection producing a more viscous tear. The regularity of it though would tend to not lenditself to concomittat infectiousl processes.
You beat me to the punch...good viuals too

Eagle

[Sacamuelas]

Alright Boomer-

I did a little book relearnin' for you. I will run down a list of the differential causes and whether I think you should research yourself online about them to discuss it with your Doc or just ignore because it isn't your problem...

I went through a bunch of common causes for blurred vision... I ruled out brain tumor, CVA(stroke), amaurosis fugax, cataract, concussion, conjunctivitis, corneal abrasion, corneal foreign body, diabetic neuropathy, dislocated lens, eye tumor, hereditary corneal dystrophies, hypertension, hyphema, iritis, migraines, multiple sclerosis, optic neuritis, retinal detachment, retinal vein occlusion, senile macular degeneration, serous retinopathy, temporal arteritis, uveitis, and vitreous hemmorage based on the symptoms history you listed.
I only found one other major likelyhood(besides my post on NLD blockage) that seems to fit your description:

Glaucoma- One of the specific types of Glaucoma causes transient visual blurring and/or halo vision which may may precede pain and eventual blindness. [/u] Still unlikely with your symptoms (and after a check) but I think I would make sure he did an accurate glaucoma check as it does fit slightly into your history.

Other than that, several meds can cause your symptoms as well including antihistamines.

Unless you tell me you have diplopia ( double vision), "floaters" in your vision, or have been experiencing a chronic/progressive loss of vision on the recent year or so then that is about all I can come up with. That about does it for me. I hope it was helpful. At least you now have three different things to harass your doc with now. Good luck

[lrd]

Originally posted by Sacamuelas
BBDB:
If you really have no excess fluid in your eye(not necessarily to the level of crying but more than normal) then you may not fall into my original Dx. I quoted the part of your post on why I thought you were experiencing this problem. I may have misinterpreted your post. UH OH.. we may be back to the drawing board. LOL
You may have misinterpreted his post, but you spoke directly to my problem! lol

I agree with Eagle: All Hail Sacamuelas!!! (as I wipe the goop from my eye)

[Kyobanim]

On the moisture comment I ment that the eye wasn't drying out. Thanks for the list. Now I'll have something to talk about with the doc.

[Guy]

Never hesitate to get a second opinion from a different Doc!