weird vision

[madison]

hello everyone!  i have yet ANOTHER issue. for the past few days(ever since my 1 episode of vertigo) i find my eyes feeling weird from time to time.
my eyes have that feeling like when you try on someone elses glasses. i don't wear glasses and have had no eye issues til now.
i find when i'm having a conversation with someone it's hard to keep looking at them. i also am squinting alot. i Hve had more dizzy episodes as of late too. i told the neurosurgeons p.a. what happened but wasn't having the eye issues then. i think i will call again on monday..maybe i should have my mri before may! please let me know
if any of you have had this or any input you can give would be great. thanks

[Tumbleweed]

Hi, Madison:

It's common to have vision problems from an AN, even long after treatment. This is usually caused by balance problems. When your balance is compromised, your brain interprets what it sees in similarly unstable fashion. Balance problems can worsen temporarily even a couple years after radiosurgery, due to the tumor swelling and irritating the balance nerve or the nerve itself dying off a little as a result of being irradiated. Your brain should adapt and both your balance and vision issues resolve over time.

So you shouldn't be overly concerned; what you're going through is probably the normal course of symptoms post-treatment. But you should definitely mention it to your doctor, anyway. They may, indeed, wish for you to have an MRI sooner rather than later to see what's going on.

Best wishes,
TW

[mk]

Hi Madison,

I had exactly the same thoughts as TW, but didn't know how to put them in words. TW did a great job explaining the possible connection between balance issues and weird vision. I think you are probably experiencing some classic "wonky headiness" to put it in very scientific terms. 

I have been following your posts, and it is obvious that you are very concerned about your symptoms. After reading everything that you have described, it seems to me that all your troubles stem from a partially functioning balance nerve that sends wrong signals to the brain. There are ways to deal with this, some people had good results with vestibular therapy and some with very low doses of valium. So certainly it is worthwhile talking to your doctor about it. Could it also be that you are very stressed out ? All symptoms get worse when tired/stressed.
It is not uncommon for symptoms to crop up late after radiation treatment, I have been going through a sort of resurgence of symptoms myself recently, almost 2 years post-GK. I think that your previous MRI showed that things were pretty stable and your AN is not very big to begin with, so don't get too alarmed. Talk to your doctor and see if he/she thinks that an earlier MRI is warranted.

All the best,
Marianna

[Tumbleweed]

Great advice from Marianna. I'll add just two things that I just thought of:
1. Valium is derived from valerian root. If you don't like taking drugs, you can substitute valerian root extract (available in  liquid or solid-extract form at many health food stores). Valium will be stronger and therefore possbily more effective, however.
2. It's a good idea to keep walking daily, even though your symptoms may be uncomfortable. Walking exercises your brain's sense of balance, which it derives from three sources: your vestibular nerves' signals, what your eyes see, and the propioceptors in your feet. And exercising that sense speeds how quickly your brain adapts to (learns to ignore) the aberrant signals your compromised vestibular nerve is sending to your brain. So walk, walk, walk!! Your symptoms will improve much quicker.

Best wishes,
TW