Since the ago of four, I have relied upon eye doctors to keep me seeing well.  Both my parents are nearsighted and when their genes mixed, the result was double bad eyesight for me.  For those who know how prescription strengths work, I just picked up a new pair of eyeglasses today which are powered at -13.75 in one eye and -13.25 in the other.  

Really bad nearsightedness is also known as severe myopia.  Myopic eyes are longer than “normal” eyes which tends to stretch the retina.  This puts extra stress on the back of the eyes.  I remember in high school being warned, kindly but repeatedly, about reporting any sudden change in vision, especially the appearance of “flashes” of light.  The doctors who had cared for me since the age of four put the fear of a torn or detached retina in the front of my mind.

When I moved to Washington, DC, I needed a new doctor so I called home for a recommendation.  The morning in 2000 when I woke up and couldn’t see well out of my right eye - it appeared as though I was looking through vaseline-covered lenses - my new eye doctor’s quick response ensured that I receive prompt medical attention, resulting in the diagnosis of optic neuritis.  This is the first concrete point in time that I can connect directly to the multiple sclerosis diagnosis I later received.

Aging, Vision, and Floaters

During the past ten years or so, my vision finally stabilized.  No longer do I require updated prescription lenses each year.  However, I did develop a new problem - presbyopia - which is a sign of being “of that age.”  With presbyopia, the lens of the eye loses its ability to focus up close.  Ever watch “older” folks read the paper way out at arms’ length?  Well, I was approaching that situation so now I wear multifocal contact lenses to compensate.

Somewhere along the way, I also developed two “floaters” in my right eye.  They are harmless but were a distraction at first.  Floaters may have different causes.  Mine were explained as the result of little bits of the gel inside the eye (the vitreous) sticking together and creating a shadow on the retina.  Uveitis, an inflammation in the eye which can be caused by rheumatoid arthritis, might cause floaters in addition to light sensitivity and blurred vision.

The most common cause of floaters is a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD).    The vitreous is the jelly-like substance inside the eye, primarily solid in childhood, which begins to liquify as we age.  Think of the vitreous as an inflated balloon which is lightly attached to the retina at the back of the eye.  When the vitreous gel liquifies, it begins to shrink and eventually separate from the retina.  PVD is very common in older populations.  

Retina Eye Specialists, a practice in California, shares that “posterior vitreous detachments occur in around 53% of people over 50 years old and 67% of people over 65 years old.”  PVD occurs in only 6% of people under the age of 50.