It’s been a little more than 5 weeks since my vision in my right eye went blurry.
In this post, beyond telling the story, I want to document what’s happening for future reference. So bare with me if I get a bit too detailed.
The blurriness on my right eye, as I recall, became apparent in a matter of days. Since starting working at Snaptech Marketing I’ve been staring at a screen more than usual so I thought I was just straining my eyes.
The First Optometrist: Dr. Gandham (Feb 16th, 2010)
On February 16th, a couple of days after first noticing the blurriness and it was obvious this was not normal, I went to the optometrist. I told Dr. Gandham the reason for coming in was my blurry right eye. He did the routine check, dilated my pupils and used the stereotypical equipment to look inside my eye.
“Your eyes are totally healthy”, he said. He then tested my vision and, indeed; I needed glasses. So I left the doctor’s office with my new prescription. I didn’t buy the glasses because I wanted to shop around. It was my chance to look intellectual and I wasn’t going to blow it with the first pair that crossed me.
So I took my time.
The Second Optometrist: Dr. Danielson (Feb 18th, 2010)
Two days later after Dr. Gandham I was definitely sure this was not an regular “you need glasses” case. My vision was blurry right in the middle of my sight. If I looked a few inches to the right of the screen I could see things clearly. But once I looked back, the blurriness followed.
My peripherals were working fine, it was the centre, middle, bulls-eye vision that was blurry.
At this point I decided to go back to the doctor and op-in for that retinal colour picture. It was an extra $45 so I told Dr. Ghandam to take it if necessary.
Dr. Denielson, a older and more boring looking guy, took me in and took the pictures. “Your eyes look healthy…” But when he tested my vision he said that I couldn’t see 20/40 and agreed that it wasn’t normal. So eye send me to the “eye-surgeon”.
I don’t know about you, but if an optometrist tells me I need to go to the “eye-surgeon”, my first thought is “surgery”. That’s what “surgeon” means, right?!
So I got an appointment to what I thought was take my eye out.
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The Third Optometrist: Me
After that prognosis I did what most people, smart and stupid, would do: research the Internet… After reading a few posts talking about similar symptoms, I was worried I had ocular herpes.
…I’ll stop right there.
The Eye Surgeon: Dr. Boyd (Feb 22nd, 2010)
Dr. Danielson referred me to Dr. Boyd, whom he labeled as, “The Eye Surgeon”…
In preparation for what I thought was going to be eye surgery, I researched Dr. Boyd on RateMds.com. Most people had bad things to say, he was rude, impatient, impolite… To which I thought, “Great! This guy is the Dr. House of eyes!” After all, no one had complained about anything but personality. (…and I wanted to convince myself that this guy was good).
So I got to Dr. Boyd’s, he dilates pupils, looks into my eye “hmmmm… I think you have a little bit of swelling there…”.
Okay, first of all, this was a blow to my respect for the first two doctors. How can Dr. Boyd see the swelling in the first 5 seconds looking into my eye, using the same instruments as the first two?! (Perhaps he really is the Dr. House of eyes).
Dr. Boyd explains that I have “Choroidopathy”, also known as “Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR)” or just “Retinopathy”.
This condition’s causes are unknown but there’s a connection between CSR and stress or Type A personalities. I’m not Type A, that’s for sure. But maybe I was stressed.
(All this happened amidst the end of my probation period at work, a breakup, and refinancing my apartment. But I didn’t feel stressed. Perhaps I wasn’t listening to my body. Perhaps I’m not listening now, because it’s not going away yet. )
Treatment? Walk it off! Chances of recovery are excellent, according to the doctors and everyone I ask, but it can up to 2 months. I’ve already passed the one month mark, so I hope this goes away in the following days.
Today
I just came back from another optometrist who fitted me with contact lenses, Dr. Ho (Metrotown). I’ve been reluctant to buy lenses because the prescription on my right eye is uncertain. But I’ll buy a cheap pair from clearlycontacts.ca and go from there.
…a few months later, in June.
All is back to normal. They were a scary few weeks, but all is good now.
I kept the lenses thought, it turns out that my left eye is the bad one. Not a huge difference, but I do see more comfortably with glasses especially when reading or looking at the computer.
The End…
…so I thought.
Update: April 6th, 2011 (One Year Later)
Mother%@#&$!… it’s coming back – same eye. The blurriness is not as defined as last year, but is not as strong either.
I’m not sure why. They say CSR is related to stress, and I am under relatively high stress, but not nearly as most people around me.
A year ago, when it first came about, I also thought to myself, “man, I know I’m a bit stressed… ending a relationship and work pressure, but if this is stressful enough to get an eye blister, all non-millionaire parents would be blind…”
There is one suspect, though. Both times I was from being with someone to being alone, which made me crank my work out routine. Every time I do that, I start drinking protein shakes almost daily.
My suspect, the protein supplement. I’ll give you of the supplement, which hasn’t changed in the the last two years since I don’t drink it regularly.
It might be a bit far fetched, but it’s all I have now.
Second Visit: Dr. Boyd (May 31st, 2011)
I managed to go to my local walk-in clinic and get a referral for Dr. Boyd as I knew what was wrong. After a few questions, the family doctor referred me. Though I think just wanted to get rid of me.
Once in Dr. Boyd’s office he was a bit puzzled about (a) why a family doctor referred me so easily and (b) why was I there.
I’ve been using this post as a diary and I forgot an key entry, “Dr. Chui”. Boyd referred me to Chui, she was the specialist for “the back” of the eye.
So after a couple of minutes, I was making another appointment with Dr. Chui.
Dr. Lica Chui (July 13th)
I actually saw Dr. Lica Chui last week, but let’s consolidate entries here. She remembered me. But just because I didn’t cancel my appointment after getting better last year 🙁
Today I had an appointment with the UBC VGH Eye Care Center in Vancouver. They did a fluorescein angiogram. The nurse recognized me from last year. He said, “I remember you from last year. You passed out, right?” I guess it’s good to be memorable like that.
Anywho, after the angiogram I went straight to Dr. Chui’s. She loads the pictures on her computer and explains what’s happening and that we could laser the area since is far away from the optic nerve.
I thought she was just being hypothetical. No, she meant right now.
Laser Time
I had to decide right there if I wanted the laser. At first I said no because of the risk. But then Lica told me that the other risk is that I’ve had the CSR for 4 months now and that having water there for so long might affect my vision permanently. (And now I’m closing my eye as I type, self-conscious).
Then I said yes.
We went to a different room and she took what it looked like a contact lens attached to a small magnifying glass, put some gel on the contact lens-looking part and stuck it on my eye. She then said the good ol’ “look straight”. As I obliged I saw green flashes. like 1 every 3-5 seconds. After 10 flashes or so, it was done.
My vision is still the same. But theoretically it will go back to normal in a few weeks as the leak is sealed. Let’s see.
…this post just got super long, eh?
Dr. Lica Chui (November 10th, 2011)
The laser worked!
I went to my follow up appointment and to make sure everything was good and, well, everything was good! I was also able to get my eye images, photos, pictures (I’m not sure what would be the technical name for it). So I’ll be posting them here in the next few weeks.
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Dr. Lica Chui (June 6th, 2012)
Just a follow up…
My vision has been good since the last year. The laser seemed to work as expected, and we all live happily ever after… that was “ending A’.
What actually happened? Dr. Chui looked at my eyes and there’s some fluid in there… Well, F%$#!
The “spill” it’s not near the area that affects my vision, that’s why my vision is not affected. But has to be dealt with nonetheless. I can only assume it would be a matter of time before it get to my affected area.
Now I have to go get another fluorescein angiogram – scheduled for next week – in preparation for more laser…
…*sigh*…
Dr. Lica Chui (June 27, 2012)
Today I got some cool images from Dr. Chui.
She reviewed the results from the fluorescein angiogram and pointed out where the likely source of fluid is this time. It’s really far from the nerve so the recommendation here was to use the laser and control this episode before it affects my vision.
So laser once again, I did…
Bonus, today I remembered to bring my sun glasses 🙂
This eye thing is getting on my nerves… but I least I can make a pun out of it 🙂
I’ll be heading back to Dr. Chui’s in a couple of days to see the results. Hopefully everything will be find and dandy.
NOTE: Lately, every now and then I feel unusual about my eye. It’s not pain or blurry vision, it feels 1% odd, not sure how to describe it…. maybe “tender” would be a good word? I’m not sure if it’s because of I’m self-conscious about it or what. But I’ll bring this up to Dr. Chui.
It’s been great hearing from people in the comments. Thanks for posting.
Coffee Observation (July 30th)
Today I stumbled against a blog post relating a CSR story similar to mine. In the comments section there are some folks referencing the use of caffeine with CSR.
I drink 1-2 cups of coffee a day, sometimes more. Could it be?
Then I came across this other article recommending the same thing. Give up coffee? Damn, in Vancouver coffee is great. And it’s part of social life.
…thinking about quitting coffee. I don’t think I could give up dark chocolate.
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Agghh!! CSR Is Frustrating!
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Flight or Flight = Stress = No Good (Sep 5th, 2012)
Last month I put myself in a ‘fight or flight’ situation. I won’t go into too much detail but to make a long story short, I almost got into a fight. This is the first time I’m aware of my stress symptoms – trembling hands, dry mouth, fast heart beat. As the situation developed, I was very conscious about the CSR thinking “this can’t be good for the eye.” Well, surprise, surprise, it wasn’t.
Today Dr. Chui told me the situation has changed to the worse.
No Stress = Better (October 3rd, 2012)
Just a follow up, things are better. Still kicking myself for putting myself into a rough situation a while back.
Women… surely they cause 80% or all CSR out there.
Keep getting better (November 7th, 2012)
Things are getting better. Yay!
…and better! (November 28, 2012)
During the last three months I hvae been drinking carrot and beet juice once a week or so. Trying to elevate the amount of carrots I consume, etc. Nothing to the extreme though. Everything seems to be working now. I moved down town so I’m sleeping a bit more. I’m also walking to work.
All of these things seem to have translated into less stress and better situation for the eye.
Right Eye Much Better, Left Eye Now Affected (December 27th, 2012)
My left eye, really?! F#@*K!
I just came from the doctor and she spotted a leak in the left eye. My left eye has been without any problems until today. What the heck?!
I’m trying to think what have I done differently.
The one thing I can think right now is my squash playing intensity. Since everything has been going well, I have resumed my squash playing intensity. There’s one particular exercise called “court sprints”, which could be considered somewhat stressful. It’s basically running up and down the court as fast as you can.
A couple of weeks ago I was running against a player in better condition and I pushed myself for 3 mintues or so… I even got a bit dizzy. But could that be it?
Update (December 21, 2013)
This year my condition went back and forth. I got laser a couple of times in the beginning and middle of the year and now is barely noticeable. It’s still there, but barely noticeable.
My CSR is not near central vision, so my blind spot is not as bothersome. I’ve accepted, however, that my blind spot will likely not go away.
I still try to eat carrots and goji berries when stressed, but my life has been pretty normal. I’ve returned to playing squash, drinking coffee (though in less amounts), and just trying to avoid stress if at all possible – though sometimes is just unavoidable.
*Sigh* …Now On the Left Eye, Japan (November 2014)
Yep. Seems my left eye felt a bit lonely from all the attention the right eye has gotten throughout the last few years. And so I now have the strongest CSR episode on my left eye.
What a contrast of feelings. Whereas when I first got it on my right eye I was in relative panic, thinking I would lose my eyesight or suffered from ocular gonorrhoea (no joke, read the beginning of this post), this time I feel frustrated and a bit angry. I mean, COMMON! …but, it is not the time to get angry.
Factors that happened this year that could have affected my cortisol levels / induced this Central pain in the serous retinopathy’s arse.
- Moving to a new country / city
- Changing jobs
- Getting engaged and civil marriage
- Becoming a citizen of a new country
So, big changes. But things have gone relatively smooth. So I’m unsure why my eye is freaking out.
I went to a regular eye doctor, explained what I had in broken Japanese (my wife helped) and I was referred to 昭和大学病院附属東病院 (Showa University Hospital Fuzokuhigashi) a university hospital.
The doctor did the typical tests of looking a the blurry thing, burst of air… and when it came to the OCT, there was a monitor right in front of me showing the live feed from the machine! It was cool to see my eye real time but distracting as hell because I had to look forward and not to the screen where the results where being showed.
As for the prescription, beyond the “relax” part which was expected the doctor recommended alternative medicine kanpo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampo).
Hoping for this to go away quickly now 🙂
Left Eye, Top Right Field of Vision, Japan (June 2016)
Last month I noticed a clear blur on my left eye, top right part field of vision. I usually check by staring into a fixed spot and wiggling my fingers around my field of vision. They typically disappear on the trouble spot – all of this while I look like a crazy person.
Thought this still comes and goes about once a year, I think it’s good to say I have a new suspect: beer.
I don’t drink much but every now and then I go out with friends or coworkers for a few beers – something I assume everyone does 🙂 My eye acting up and the last beer outing were relatively close to each other. Could this be a trigger? I really hope not, because I do like going out for a beer every now and then.
One thing is for sure, every time I notice a spot I stop coffee, beer, check the hours I’m putting at work, make sure I’m eating relatively healthy, and also check if I’m actually doing exercise so that I can relax. These seem to be the variables that put things back into shape for my eye.
It’s July now, and things on my left eye have calmed down, I’m having a latte.
I’ll keep an eye on… my eye… next time I go for beers. But if you have had this as a trigger, please let me know.
Vision is Good, Japan (June 2017)
It’s been a year since my last post and thought it would be good to make an update.
The last year has been without incident, for the most part. At night, when I’m feeding a bottle to my daughter in the dark I can clearly notice a blurry spot that doesn’t allow me to see well in the dark. During the day, if it’s bright, I don’t notice it. When indoors and dim lighting I can find my blind spot if I look for it by fixing my sight and wiggling my finger across my field of vision until it disappears of blurs – but it’s not an issue.
So far my case is completely under control. Interestingly, I just went through the first year of my first born. That means high stress and little sleep, yet my eyes are as a good as they can be…
Hi There, CSR – Japan (April 2018)
A few weeks ago I had my annual checkout, which included a retinal image. This is the first time I am able to see the CSR at a glance on the retinal image. My vision is not bad though.
This week (4/4) I went back to Showa University Hospital Fuzokuhigashi. I got to check my eyesight, retinal exam and OCT (side note, the bill for the visit and exams was JPY 1,917 or about USD $15. This is covered under my issuance, but also under national insurance). I have another appointment for next Wednesday.
Meh, It’s back. Japan (March 2020)
I’ve been having a mild case since November last year. I went for my yearly checkup and the doctor, probably unfamiliar with my situation, saw a bunch scars and who knows what from previous laser treatments and gave me a look saying, “I believe your eye will self destroy in 10 seconds.” Of course he sent me to a specialist. I still need to go.
I sometimes feel I’m being too complacent.
Ten years sound like a long time until I read some of the comments here. There is one person in their 60s that has had CSR since their 20s. No time for complacency.
Stressful factors in my life now include family, work and completing Masters graduate program. This last one is eating my sleeping time, and I think that might be a contributing factor.
Let’s hope people with CSR are immune to the Coronavirus COVID-19.
Showa University Hospital (昭和大学病院東), Tokyo (March 2021)
Today I am writing this as a wait for the regular battery of eye-related test – blast of air, focus on the blurry the balloon, “tell me, where is this shaping facing, up? down? left? right?, this kind of thing.
I am here not because I feel any worse, but because when I went to my annual checkup, the took a picture of the back of the eye and, without knowing my history, I assume the doctor freaked out at the image (looks like the moon considering the laser scars) and asked me to urgently go to a specialist. So here I am.
I went back a few days later, they wanted to do another fluorescein angiogram just to make sure. So I did.
Reality Check 2021, The Future – Dr. Toujou (Need to find the Kanji for the name).
Later I went back for the consultations on the results. I have leak – cue me rolling my eyes and having my internal voice say “again…”. Let’s review some of the images:
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The doctor must have felt my indifference. After all, it’s not affecting my vision…. so big woop.
She then continued to explain that even though my vision is relatively fine, I should pay attention to the conditions of the leaks. This is because the retina getting detached (by fluid) over and over will eventually increase the risk of more serious issues when older. That was a bit scary to hear.
The recommendation is to cauterize the source of the leak with lasers – maybe? She feels it is a close call and, even if the decision is to do this, I would need to go to a different hospital with a more specialized machine. The machine they have there is for when the area to be lasered is away from the optical nerve.
I decide to proceed with the laser. She writes an introduction letter for the other, bigger hospital – St. Luke’s International Hospital – 聖路加国際病院.
St. Luke’s International Hospital – 聖路加国際病院 (2021, May)
By now I’ve been two times to this hospital. The first one (April), was an initial consultation. The doctor, the youngest looking doctor I’ve had in my life (early 30’s tops), mentions I need to have….. a fluorescein angiography – tada!
I said I just had one last month but he mentioned I needed a new one. Not only the hospitals cannot share this information (what?!) but the procedure at their hospital includes something they didn’t include at the Showa University hospital.
Most of the times I go for something related to my eye I mention that I am keeping a blog and ask if I can take a picture. This time two unprecedented things happened. First, when I got hooked up I asked the nurse if it was OK to take a picture of my arm. She said yes (no one ever has said no to that), but for the first time she offered to take a picture.
Then they hook up the dye, and this time it is two dyes, I ask if I can take a picture of my arm. The other unprecedented thing happened, this nurse told me no. “Sorry, no photos a the hospital”. When I clarified that I’m just pointing at my arm, she insisted, no.
I was not going to throw the previous nurse under the bus, but I was bummed out that she didn’t let me take any more picture because the dye was red and it looked cool. It is typically clear, if I remember correctly.
So in a few weeks I will go back to hear my results and see if I need the laser. The young doctor did mention that, from consulting with other doctors, it seemed like I will likely not need laser…. let’s see.
Dr. Vanessa Wong – Ottawa – Kanata Optometry Centre (Jan 2024)
Well, it was a nice run, but it’s back. I noticed the original blurry spot a couple of weeks ago. I’m not sure if it is the original, but it did remind me of the first time I had it.
I went to Kanata Optometry Centre here in Ottawa. Considering it was an “Optometry Centre” I was expecting to have a brief consultation and a referral to an “Ophthalmology Centre”. To my surprise, they were able to do the OCT (which by the way, stands for Optical Coherence Tomography – I just found that out) and… well, I guess there is not much they can say that I don’t expect.
I liked Dr. Wong. She came across as knowledgeable and approachable. Thankfully, it was the same story. I have it, a bit near the macula but not too critical. (I’ve read some comments here…).
It does look more dramatic than previous
Here’s another view showing the double whammy
Seems the left eye also wants to join the party. Let’s meditate so that doesn’t happen.
Dr. Wong said they will send the images to a specialist and they would follow up. I am looking forward to their call because there is one more image I forgot to take a photo of.
So, what the fk happened?!
Guesses, I suppose. They say there is no clear-cut reason for CSR, but stress is a factor. If I’m forced to come up with a reason, I have real strong candidate.
For the most part, 2023 was one of a hell of a stressful year – from all sides. My manager changed, my primary job role changed, family dynamics were challenging… It was tough, relatively speaking. The thing is, things got better in Q4, and this comes up now. Maybe there is a delayed reaction to the stressful action?
I’ve always been weary of stressful events, like almost getting into a fight at the start of this blog post (picture me rolling my eyes at the stupidity of it all)… but maybe it is not one stressful event but a prolonged stressful environment?
Not sure.
What now?
I take these episodes as a reminder to fine tune balance in my life. Am I not exercising? Eating properly? Sleeping enough? All of these things I’d give a low marks to my current lifestyle. So I’ll aim to improve.
Also, I take a break from coffee. I’m not sure that has any effect, but I welcome the challenge. I really like coffee.
Dr Thomas Lee – Ottawa – The Retina Center (Feb 2, 2024)
I got referred by Dr. Lee by Dr. Wong. This was the shortest interaction I’ve had with a doctor.
I came in. After a few minutes nurse dilated pupils, *snap* *snap* photos, etc. I waited, then called in to see the doctor.
Dr. Lee was in the room about 5 minutes. It was an efficient 5 minutes, but still… He reinforced the warning I had heard in Japan. Just because I can go about with my life with a little CSR it doesn’t mean it’s OK. “It’s like having a flooded basement. You have to deal with it or have consequences later.” He also gave me a new piece of information. “There has been new research in this subject and you probably have Pachychoroid “. Ahem. Say what?
Here is an article with more medical lingo, but in short pachy means “thick” and choroid means choroid.
There is new research that suggests most cases of CSR are because of Pachychoroid (having a thick choroid)”
Dr. Thomas Lee from Ottawa Retina Centre
The comment checks out. I’ve been researching the term and seems there are talks suggesting that CRS is linked to an anatomical anomaly, not stress, coffee, exercise, work, cleanliness, or the other list of reasons we have to theorize is causing this. it’s not definitive, but I hope they find clarity in what causes it and, in turn, how to fix it.
Fluoresceine Angiogram @ Ottawa Riverside Medical – March 7, 2024
When to Ottawa Riverside Hospital (or campus) for the test. Nothing out of the ordinary. Everyone in the hospital was nice. I got there early, at around 8:50am, I was out before 11:00am. It was good.
They called me saying the doctor had received the results and said I could come see him… in June! The hospital person who was calling treated it as “good news, it means nothing critical is happening”. Still, why wait more than 2 months to review the results? Even if it is nothing, you’d figure it would be better to review tests results soon after their results… I feel like these results would expire in two months.
That said, what do I know… let’s see what Dr. Lee says.
Follow up – Dr. Lee – (June 2024)
As suspected, there are leaks. Dr. Lee recommended laser – the less invasive laser that cauterizes the source of leaks – and so he did it. Not much to say here. but let me share a couple of images.
A side, note, Dr. Lee is not the talkative type. He’s professional and responds with nice tone, but no warm-up chit-chat, weather talk, or sharing about your pet – lucky if you get a “how are you?” at first or “take care” at the end.
“Schedule a follow up in 2 to 3 months” and he was gone.
Follow up – Dr. Lee – (September 2024)
It’s been three months since the laser was done. I’m sitting at the doctor updating this, about to understand the follow up. Yet, before I could write much, I was called and my pupils dilated.
And more LASER. My left eye is looking good but the right eye, apparently, needs a little bit more pew pew. And so it was done.
And just like last time, “schedule a follow up in 2 to 3 months,” and he was gone.
Clarification: this is a blog post on my particular case. I’m happy to hear many of you are finding a sense of empathy, validation, relief or frustration by having similar accounts, but please don’t have in mind that this is not a forum. A few people have mentioned a few forums you should check out for ongoing conversations.
In my case, I few years back I interacted with this CSR Yahoo Group – some of the folks here are battling worse CSR and for longer than I have – you might want to check them out.
I was first diagnosed with CSR immediately following the development of a greyish-brown spot in the central vision area of my left eye. I was at a work meeting when it happened and I thought I was having a retinal detachment. I went straight to my local eye doc who correctly diagnosed me with CSR and referred me to a retina specialist.
Well, now I am 9 months into this ordeal and I have had 4 OCTs, 1 fluoroscein angiography, and a waxing an waning course with no treatment except observation.
I had marked improvement from month 3-6 and then it became worse again. My last OCT showed re-accumulation. I did not need the OCT to tell me that because I saw it getting worse again. I read most of the posts above and have had all the same thoughts…stress, Type A, caffeine, exercise and so on.
I have tried Yoga and cutting out caffeine (very hard) and trying deep breathing exercises. It is hard to change your nature. Unless I quit my job, relationship and everything else and then live chanting all day on a mountaintop I do not know how to appreciably alter my environment enough to impact my nature. And is it really my stress level that is causing this?
The one thing that I did that may have contributed to the development of my CSR that I haven’t read above is that I used MINOXIDIL for the 3 weeks immediately preceding the development of my CSR. I am not bald but my hair is thinning so I thought I would try and prevent further loss. Of course I stopped the drug right away though my eye did not improve.
Like some of you, I have a job that requires heavy computer use and reading. I sometimes patch my sick eye when I have to do a lot of reading or computer work. I also use my 32 inch flatscreen as a secondary/extension monitor on my computer and it helps a great deal. Needless to say, this has not been fun. I feel somewhat better having read some of your stories too.
Like all of you, I too have been dealing with CSR – since January 2012. The optometrist and then the opthomologist (sp) completely misdiagnosed me. I didn’t get my first treatment until about 8 months after I noticed the grayish orb in my central vision. I was given an Avastin injection. Yes the thought of a needle to the eye is not a pleasant one but when you are desperate and your vision is at stake you will do just about anything. The shot cleared up the CSR in a few days. I was fine for about a year and then it returned in the same spot. I was given another shot and it cleared up again. But this time it reoccurred after about 6 months. I received another Avastin injection and it went away again but this time for only a little over a month. The Dr. then tried a new drug, Eyelia. It contains Avastin and several other components that are supposed to keep the drug active in the eye for a longer period of time. This did not work at all. 2 weeks later, she gave me another regular Avastin injection and this did not work at all either. She said that I have become immune to its healing effects. She still wants to try the other one that starts with an “L”. Someone mentioned it in one of these posts. She is hesitant to do the photodynamic because of the central location of my CSR spot. It can cause scarring and a permanent blind spot. I’m glad I found this blog and the yahoo support group. I am going to follow some of the suggestions I’ve read about to see if it helps. For those of you fearing the eye injections, it’s not bad at all. They numb the eye so you really don’t feel anything and it does work in many cases. I just wish it had continued to work for me.
Yeah, sounds like it’s more common than I thought. Mine started in my right eye 5 weeks ago and the retina doc confirmed it. Gave me spironolactone to try and will evaluate in 6 weeks. My dad has wet macular degeneration and gets the shots but he’s 90. I feared this was what was happening to me but the doc says it’s CSR. Not sure what the difference is though…sounds like the same thing to me. Today I have pain in that eye which is disconcerting.
Hey my dad has the same Problum except my dad’s isn’t going away. My dad’s under a lot of stress. To the ppl out there don’t stress it will come back
Thank you for providing the link to the CSR Yahoo group.
thank you for this blog, i am currently going to this condition. doctor diagnosed my left eye with CSR on 24-Mar-2015, doctor advise me to do follow-up checkup for 1 month to see if the blister goes off or lessen, else they will do laser. after reading this, and googling, i need to cut down or stop on coffee(argghh), i take 2-3 cups a day.
i recall i was on a lot of stress around Feb2015, then i had skin rashes that doctor give me some inflammation medicine, then by Mar2015 i noticed the blurry vision on my left eye. pray for the best. hoping it will go off for good.
Glad that it helped. Hopefully yours will be a one time thing. I haven’t updated this but I actually had it again on my right eye. A few months ago in my left eye… But the panic from the first time is gone. It’s a matter of accepting our bodies are a bit weak in that area and, whenever needed, we just need to calm down a bit more than the rest. At least that’s how I look at it 🙂
Thanks for starting this Blog. I have had CSR since 2012 in both eyes. I went through basically the identical scenario that Jose has in this blog! The right eye got a lot worse last year. So the retina specialist recommended a PDT procedure with laser treatment. We did that in August 2014. Left eye results were good, but right eye was no better. I went overseas for 6 months and in March my right eye was very poor in central vision. They are now recommending the Pulse Laser treatment, which I think is the same as the one Jose has had.
A question for the readers: This week on the golf course, I borrowed a friends Range Finder (basically a binocular with distance markers). Would you believe, I could see perfectly through the Range Finder with my right eye! Has anyone had such an experience? If so, do you know why this is so? I’m going to ask my retina specialist next week when I go for the laser.
Jose,
I have almost the same story as you. I have been living with csr off and on now for about a 1 1/2. I have not had any laser surgerys but am on a cortasoil blocking medication that has seemed to help. I feel like I’m coming towards the end of my 4th flair up. During my third flair up is when it stared effecting my other eye. I’m in a somewhat stressful position knowing this doesn’t help things my reg. proscribed me with an anxiety pill I take when I start to feel stressed. This has help tremendously. Although I only take maybe 1 pill every other week it’s comforting to know its there if I need it. You have no idea how much this blogs has calmed my concerns of CSR.
Thank you
Nate
I tryed zinc supplements (for the first time in my life) to boost my immune response when I was having some flu symptoms while traveling winter 2014 in Norway, and my CSR condition improved significantly. Just for the record, It’s been four months since I got diagnosed, when I took the zinc supplement and it hadn’t had improved at that point) I can’t be sure if it was exactly the zinc that made my fluid buildup decrease almost to zero, but it turned out that zinc is an important part of the retinal tissue (http://www.macularsociety.org/nutrition/Nutrients/zinc ). I was amazed that there is no general practice of prescribing zinc supplement for CSR. Another observation of mine is that any pressure on the affected eye is bad. So I try not to sleep on my stomach, and never on my affected eye side. I also try to keep my eyes relaxed.. I suspect that any tension in the supporting eye muscles, can provoke the condition. That is why I believe, regular deep breathing can be very beneficial for reducing the pressure in the eyes.
I was supposed to have cataract surgery 3 days ago (March 15, 2015). Put it off due to broken tooth caused by an appliance my dentist had made. It’s costing me over $7,000 to get the tooth extracted, bone graft, implant, crown, and retainer to wear with a fake front tooth until I can get the crown. I saw a periodondist for the surgery and I dread confronting my dentist who made the appliance about this.
My husband wanted me to get driving glasses as my vision is so bad, esp. at night. Yesterday we decided to go to a regular optometrist even thou I’d just had a thorough exam in preparation for my cataract surgery. My husband went with me to the appointment to make sure I got the right glasses. The doctor said my cataracts aren’t that bad and he wouldn’t use my surgeon (whew, glad I put the surgery off), but even thou my cataracts are bad, my eyes are very bad and that I couldn’t pass a driving test. I have CSR in one eye, scarring on the left and something else I which I can’t remember. He said he wouldn’t prescribe glasses until I see a retina specialist and while I waited they called and made the appointment for me.
He asked me if I’m under a lot of stress and I shouldn’t be as I’m retired, but this dental problem has been a nightmare. I do drink 2 cuts of coffee a day and have a Type A personality.
I am thankful I didn’t have the cataract surgery if I didn’t need it and wonder why the eye surgeon didn’t catch the CSR during the workup for the surgery. I used this surgeon for my Lasik surgery back in 2000. The cornea came off my left eye during the night and when I went in for my follow-up exam I had emergency surgery to sew it back on. Excruciating. I really had liked my surgeon.
Thanks for this blog. I definitely will go to the support site and check it out.
Same story as most, shots not working. I have ADHD and medications are stimulants. Also interesting that ive had stomach problems… hybector pylori??
I went in for my first eye for cataract surgery and had no vision problems. The day after surgery I noticed a greyish circle in my central vision and my vision was blurry but put it down to the surgery. After 5 days I realised this was not normal. Dr thought it may have been Cystic Mastoid Odema but as it turns out I then had an OCT which showed a very large lesion Central Serous Retinopathy….I am a 43 year old female. Can’t believe this has happened. Has this happened to anyone else after surgery? I had absolutely no other signs. It’s been 5 months now and no improvement. I am fit and healthy. Have been on no medication. As it is in the centre I cannot be treated with lazer. Worried about having the injections into the eye but told if I don’t within the next month I could end up with permanent damage. Luckily for me I do not use my eyes together anyway so am able to just use my left eye to see. My right eye I cannot read with at all. I am also now stuck with one eye (the one with the CSR) which has had lense replacement but that I can’t see properly out of and my other eye that I am too worried to have lens replacement on.. So I have two different eyes all together… I had waited for this lense replacement surgery for a long time and I just wish so much that my doctor had done the OCT scan before surgery as I don’t believe I would be in this position. 🙁
Help
I have left eye CSR in 2005
Now it had returned in 2015
After 10 long years
I could not remember how severed it was during 10 years ago.
I am worried it will not recover and heard from forums that it may turn permanent and now it had already been a month. My review is only another 4 weeks and I am worried the delay will become something like you left a droplet on on car windscreen
Help
I have csr it’d been about 4 years I had the phot laser done it made it worse now I have leakage in areas so the put me on cancer treatment injections for macula degeneration it never got better ,worst decision ever to have it laser DON’T let them laser yout eye worst thing that happened to me
Hello everyone!
I was diagnosed with a different eye disease(but the tests show what shows for your disease) so I am thinking that I was Missed diagnosed. One thing that I experience with this is terrible dizziness! Does anyone else have this symptom?
Hi,
I had CSR in my right eye in 2007, it is still there after couple of treatments.
I have blur vision in my right eye till now. Only my left was supporting my vision.
Now my left is getting fluid, i can still see clearly. I work in computers.
My doctor is recommanding pulse laser now.
What is the best procedure/treament to cure CSR?.
Please recommand top doctors in USA for this treatment.
Is this blog still active? I have CSR in my right eye. Based in Sydney, Australia. If you would like to contact me for mutual support, please email me: [email protected].
Ram…..i.was.recommended “NOT” to do laser treatment. Look carefully into it. Was told that it can be risky and “not help” after all
I hav csr on my eye on jan 2016 and been given avastin injection. I have improved my vision but hav some spot seems while seeing. But now i hv doubt on right eye also with blurr sight. But my both eyes are 6/6 but left eye hav less brightness…pl tell if some treatment are there. Liquor intake is also avoided ?pl tell
I had it a few years ago, but it’s gone–I mean, you can see a bubble on the eye when I go every six months for a check-up, but nothing actively impairing my vision.
I also was recently diagnosed with celiac disease (after my son received a diagnosis).
I think there’s a connection between CSR and autoimmune diseases like celiac. I would push the docs about this–I don’t think they’ve done enough research on the link, frankly, but some research is there. I would encourage not only getting off caffeine but also getting off gluten (think about that beer, btw). Just a suggestion. I also had Raynaud’s start around the same time the CSR started. I think gluten free has helped a lot, no symptoms since being very strictly gluten free.
I too have bilateral CSR. I am 52 type A female and had epidural steroid injections for back pain. Steroid use of any kind , including cortisone creams are contraindicated for this disease as well as SSRIs. My awesome retina specialist has been trying Eyelea in one Eye. My right which already has perm damage to my central vision. Bc of where the fluid is laser is not recommended :(. The Eyelea seems to help curtail the fluid. I am kind of a Guinea pig but I’ll do it for the greater good -my sight. And anyone else having this incurable disease. This disease is horrible and unpredictable. It’s certain that the fluid on the left will eventually go central and we don’t know if It will be 10 years or 2 months. Scary thought that I can lose my ability to see. . But we will continue this treatment until we think it’s not doing anything , for now it seems like it’s working bc I have not had any fluid in my right eye on over 6 months since staring injections. I have had 4 total and we are now letting it go a week out each time to see how long I can go without one. I pray you all have resolution to this. I have type 2 recurrent severe. DR Gupta refers to me as his medical mystery bc his colleagues don’t believe my case until they see my records. Haha. My great something in life. Go figure. Haha. Please feel free to contact me and we can compare notes. We need to find a cure. There is no treatment for this. It’s a very rare but debilitating disease. We need to speak up and get this recognized.
Women… surely they cause 80% or all CSR out there.
You nailed it, right there!
I’m a woman with recurrent sevre cscr (at least 2-3 bouts per year for the last 3 years)… So I can fairly much say that, no… Women are not the cause of 80% of cscr occurrences.
Stress may be a factor, though I have completed cortisol tests with no real outstanding features.
SLE, G6PD deficiency, Sjorgens, sickle cell anemia, etc may be more likely.
As I am now slowly going blind as a result of CSCR, I am currently in the process of undergoing tests for the above.
And Dave… I too am diagnosed Adhd prescribed dexamphetamine… I have asked whether it could be an issue… My ophthalmologist doesn’t think so, but I have a sneaky suspicion it does. Gut feeling
Hi folks, there is dedicated community forums on yahoo website with tonnes of information about this condition.
https://beta.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/csreye
I am so glad you have info here.before hand letting u know i have the central csr n is blocking my view sorry for misspellings.This has been hell 4 me i went to one of the best hospitals in NY. And wastold if i used steroids and i said no cause i dont use.i find interesting im a female n in my own research doctor failed to inform me high levels or cortisol hormone causes it.I have malabsorption of nutrients cause by low stomach acid low iron and low b 12 im supplementing but my body us not absorbing enough.Besides that i have develop ringing in left ear faint n have imbalance .i research the coffee situation and i find it makes it worse the csr n the ringing in ear i am going to continue the supplements wholefoods yoga may change the hospital i go to and get second opinion.May even go to natural remedy approach i pray for all of you to find a solution also certain types of workouts may affect like pushups and lifting weitghs sending love n healing
I sympathise with your situation. I had was diagnosed with a relatively mild case of CSR in my left eye in January 2016 although it was directly in my line of sight and so had maximum impact. It regressed but came back again worse in March and again less so in July my latest checkup today says all there is no longer any fluid present but it has left me with a bit of distortion but not enough to affect reading etc. However, there is no guarantee that it won’t return.
I went to my regular optician when I first noticed symptoms – I already had a floater in my left eye so I thought it might be another one but my optician was not sure so she sent me to the local NHS Hospital Eye Clinic where the diagnosed CSR the same day. I have been for repeated checkups this year and now I am on 6 monthly checkups just in case it comes back.
And the cause; I had a very bad reaction to Simvastatin 20mg within a week I was getting a tight chest then followed by heart palpitations, high blood pressure and abdominal pain over the next few weeks. Shortly after I finished taking it I started getting wild mood swings and felt stressed and aggressive presumably my Cortisol levels were high because I then developed CSR.
Note, CSR is not listed as a known side effect of Simvastatin in case any lawyers are reading!
I researched CSR and discovered a that a small uncontrolled trial suggested that a small dose of Ibuprofen/Nurofen could reduce the CSR but after taking a couple a day for a week or so it soon became apparent it became worse [side effect of Ibuprofen is odema which is essentially same as CSR – should have read the leaflet!]
Note, IbuprofenNurofen is not a recognised treatment for CSR consult your doctor
So I tried Paracetamol [Tylanol] since I already use it for a bad neck. This did seem to work and when I had a cold and took the maximum dose and it regressed quicker. It may have a direct effect reducing inflammation of the leaking blood vessels in the eye and/or it may effect Cortisol levels?
Note, Paracetamol [Tylanol] is not a recognised treatment for CSR and never take more than the recommended dose consult your doctor
These are my personal experiences and observations of CSR over the last year hopefully it was a one off but there is no guarantee that it won’t return
This blog seems to be dead. For all you seeking support and info about this condition, join this group : https://beta.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/csreye/info
thanks all of you. i have csr both eye but my dr say there r no treatment ,so what can i do? the problem is since 2012 i am from bangladesh ..please refaer a good doctor name and address and dr should be in bangladesh or india or singapur who cure my eye problem ,thanks my name is amzad 37(male)? wher is the best tretment micro pulse laser tretment ??
Hi, having csr for almost 3 mnths nw, sometimes better sometimes not. Dizziness and easily get confuse. I think stress is the main factor.
Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR)
My conclusion after 20 years of experience with CSR:
CSR is mostly a stress condition. One stressful event or overall stress will cause it, Also high cortisone levels. The more you focus on it, the worse it will get. It may be associated with high cortisone and possibly Cushing syndrome, insomnia, stress and hypertension.
My Action plan:
1. Avoid Stress. Try stress reduction-meditation, etc.. Get enough sleep.
2. Avoid excess salt (sodium), Crackers, sodas, pizza, etc. (salt has stimulating qualities and can worsen insomnia, hypertension, edema, etc.). It seems to make my CSR worse.
3. Avoid all stimulants, caffeine, tobacco, herbal stimulants, albuterol, Etc
4. Some Studies have shown taking vitamins and supplements may make CSR worse or have no effect. Avoid most of them. Most herbs and vitamins seem to make my eves worse.
5. Avoid all forms of Cortisone.
6. Exercise, walk, swim, get a hobby that does not require eye strain or videos.
7. Avoid excess computer, smart phone, TV, Video usage.
8. Do Bates eye exercises (Bates Method). See YouTube for instructions. Do sunning with eyes closed, palming and swings.
9. Work Reflexology eye points around the toes, see chart below.
10. Monitor your blood pressures and stress level.
11. Work Eye acupressure points, see chart below and Google.
12. Eat spinach and some form of blueberries 3 times a week to avoid macular degeneration.
13. Find yourself a good Retina specialist.
Work Reflexology eye and ear points or any sore points around the toes:
Bates method (eye exercises), see YouTube.com for a demonstration:
1. Long Swings 5 to 10 minutes 2 to 3x per day.
2. Palming 5 to 10 minutes 2 to 3x per day.
3. Sunning with eyes shut only.
Most vitamin, herbs and supplements seem to make my eye worse, Q10, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Etc..
Potassium (Potassium chloride) in small doses (99MG) or less is the only one that seemed to help me reduce the distortion/fluid buildup. It costs about $5 for a bottle of 100 tablets. Always take potassium with food to avoid an upset stomach. Warning Potassium chloride is extremely toxic in large doses. Check with your doctor before using. Other forms of potassium may or may not work. The Potassium seems to reduce my distortion and fluid buildup however it may or may not result in a seal of the leak or a complete resolution.
Google “eye acupressure” for more details. Work acupressure points around eyes:
The above instructions have shortened my CSR duration by weeks or months.
The more you focus on CSR, the worse it will get and the longer it will take to resolve.
Disclaimer:
I am not a doctor. I do not treat, diagnose or prescribe. If you have any illness, please refer to a medical doctor for advice. The above text is for information use only. I have no conflict of interest.
Anonymous
For the last two years I have been battling with CSR in my left eye…eerily similar to your occurrences. I changed specialists this year. The new guy however actually specialised in these things (I learnt not all ophthalmologists who say they can treat retinal issues are actually specialists in the area, beware). Anyways, after consulting with me for over an hour, noting details surrounding each time I had a leak, noting any other ailments I may have had, he came to the conclusion that steroids were the issue. I have had asthma since I was 5. The use of steroids over time to treat my asthma contributed to the CSR. Lifestyle changes are also required (stress, diet etc) so that your body does not over produce cortisol.
Hi, I have CSR in my left eye, not sure what caused it but I went to 4 different doctors to finally get into the correct diagnosis (CSR). My first episode was in 2008 or 2009 when my dad had cancer, I was depressed and stressed so I guess this is what triggered my problem. I saw a black spot in the middle of my left eye, I couldn’t even see the hour in my watch. The problem went away in about 2 months, but not completely, the black spot disappeared but I still have a mild distorted vision that I learn to live with… I have a second episode 3 years later and went to the doctor again, and he found the origin of the problem = Cortisone. This medicine increase the eye blood pressure and creates a leak if you have CSR. I did not know this, but before my second episode I had an allergy in my body and a dermatologist gave me a shot of cortisone. And again, the problem went away in 4 or 6 weeks.. I still have a distorted vision on my left eye, but every time I have to go to any doctor , I tell them Im allergic to cortisone.. I have a new appointment this Monday to check my eyes caused I have constant headaches and I guess I need glasses but not sure if they can eliminate the distorted vision completely.
I have csr is my left eye. Found it about a month ago. Self diagnosed via internet. then went to dr who claims all looks fine but maybe just maybe i see a csr. did an oct and of course it was there. It was getting better over the past few weeks and yesterday it seems to have returns along with blurring and the gray halo in the center of vision. This sucks. No steroids, possible stress, but nothing different than always, high blood pressure meds are new in the past 3 months. I drink a few drinks in the evening. 1-2 cups of coffee daily.
cutting coffee down. might cut down alcohol.
Really worried about this. any suggesstions? thanks
Hello, I want to say to all those who are caught with this problem, that I managed to make the edema leave with naproxen (quebec) or aleve (usa).
For a year and a half I had 10 appearances, a few times in both eyes at the same time and not a lot of improvement and my ophtamo told me that I should live with but 6 months ago I started with Aspirin 81mg / day and my condition improved from week to week but with naproxen (500 mg, 2 / day, one at 12 pm) 3 or 4 days and everything disappears.
Caution naproxen may irritate the stomach, think about taking a protector (pentoprazole kind).
I was first diagnosed in summer of 2016, they did the laser by November 2016. This did not work. By December 2016 I was given an injection of lucentis. This worked. However I was still dealing with a considerable amount of blurred vision. I would like to mention I am already 75% blind in my right eye, the CSR is in my left. Of which not only has CSR but a partially torn retina. I went back repeatedly to discuss the lingering blurriness and light sensitivity with no good insight. I went to a second doctor who told me my continued blurriness was a result of the laser surgery initially used. My CSR was in my central vision, so when used it leaves scarring. This will NEVER heal. I am about to go back today because now I literally cannot see unless I where my reading glasses 24/7. In addition my prescription tends to change from nearsighted to farsighted and reverse. Both doctors I have seen said I am only the 2nd woman they have seen with CSR.
@josh, what high blood pressure medication was given to you? I developed my CSR two weeks after i took amloidopine.
on July 2nd this year I have seen the brown spot, the road was looking with bumps
tall buildings were curved at a portion
visited the alopathy doc, she confirmed CSR in my right eye
but i never trust the alopathic way, so my 85 year young homeopath gave me drops CINERARIA (without alcohol), within 2 weeks, the brown spot COMPLETELY vanished, but i became short sighted in my right eye, text on monitor also seems to be blurred, which means my eye sight in right eye is impacted, but yes ,the dark brown/yellow spot is removed completely
unsure if it will come back
Hi all
Just wanted to say hello. I’ve been reading the conversation this morning
I’m a 49 year old female first diagnosed 16 years ago. I’ve had a lot of small episodes in both eyes along the way but never had any hospital treatment, only observation. However I’m in the midst of a bad attack, probably worse than my original at the moment and am having an Avastin injection next week . I’m not really convinced on the science around this as it seems to target new blood vessel growth which doesn’t seem to be a factor in CSR?
In terms of tackling the overall cause, I’m wondering if anyone has ever seen an endocrinologist about CSR
I am wondering if there’s a link with menopause and my recent bad attack because I believe low oestrogen is associated with raised cortisol although the numbers of women in that age-group with CSR might be a very small test group!
I’d welcome your thoughts
Sass
Hi, I wondering does anyone with csr have lupus ???
Just wondering if there a connection ???
I’m 38 female
In 2007 i was diagnosed with central serous retinopathy. I had this for 4 years and it didnt change in that time. I was at “glamoureyes” to have a gloucoma test and they took a photo and now it has gone with not even a scar. this was 2 years ago.
The lady their said this is unheard of that it is healed after 4 years of being there. She also said that if i hadnt told her that i once had retinopathy,she could not tell by the photo…and i wanted to contact you to share with you what got rid of it.
Methylcobalamin or B12 injections. A friend of mine in the USA had Diabetic neuropathy, which i also have. He cured most of it, with B12 injections. I was hoping for the same. The CSR being healed was a happy “side effect”!. . BUT it has to be the Methyated B12..not any other. AND it has to be injected because its very hard to get B12 absorbed any other way. I have all the data about how many injections etc because i kept a record.
It took 6 months for it to disapear…but i noticed something was happening after 8 weeks with “focus”. But the intensity of “color” in my vision changed within 2 weeks.
I was hoping we might get a group of with the same condition and do the worlds 1st trial. Its such a relief for me to have my right eye back to where it was…and Im sure there would be plenty of people with this condition willing to do the trial. .i know that feeling myself to have my eye back. There has never been reported anyone having side effects from B12.
Hi,
I had my CSR FOR THE last 13 year on and off in my right eyes. I recently try THC/ CBD SMALL DOES 15 mg 2 times a day ( cookies or chocolate kind ) and works for me .
Anxiety attack / SLEEP APINA /cardiovascular exercise cause my CSR .
I was just diagnosed with CSR on my right eye last week, only have had it for a couple weeks now. Just a heads up. I haven’t had any caffeine in over 6 years and I am the complete opposite of a type A personality.. so not sure what is going on with me.
is this link still available to those who have been through this? ive had csr since June. it got better after a few months but then it it went to shit again in november. i have to drive at night to work n back only twice a week but the oncoming headlights and reflections in my left eye make it struggle more. a 15 minute drive home at night is a small version of hell. the lanes are blurry and its like i driving drunk, when i blink while driving at night, the daytime left eye dark circle is a strobe light of dark n bright light. the cars n lights in 1 eye are dark and blurred and 50 ft away while the cars in my good eye are normal distance, normal brightness but i get dizzy and lanes are blurred. what have yall been told or what do you all feel about nighttime driving?
Hey, just wanted to say that I like your blog and tell you about my story.
So in 2014, I was working as a lawyer. My firm gave me too many cases and my help was not always up to par. As a result, I was super stressed. One Saturday, after a particularly stressful week, I noticed that the vision in my right eye had gone particularly blurry. I immediately went to the emergency room. They could not find out what was wrong, so they referred me to an eye doctor. She could not tell what was wrong so she referred me to a retina specialist where I was diagnosed with CSR.
I really wanted to quit my job, but my dad encouraged me to soldier on. In retrospect, I should have quit, but I got laid off anyways in about 3 months because my firm was not getting enough cases.
After that, I made it a point to try to reduce my stress levels.
Flash forward to March of 2018. I had an ongoing issue with a neighbor who would leave her dog barking on the balcony. I started getting really annoyed so I confronted her about it and she said, “well, dogs bark.” At this point I was furious and wanted to murder her. I recognized this feeling as the same feeling that I had when I was stressed out from work. This was in conjuction to being really homesick as I am living far away from my friends and family and I was not very happy. Later that night, I noticed that I had a difference in the vision of my right eye. I immediately called my optometerist and scheduled an appointment with her. I had seen her about two months previous and had an OCT scan just to see where my eye was. At the time everything was fine. However, when I went to the doctor this time, she could clearly see that the central retinopathy has returned. It is frustrating because now, I might not be able to go on the vacation I had scheduled. I am setting up an appointment with her tomorrow for a follow up.
What is really frustrating is that this condition has started to make me really risk averse to being stressed out. How will I ever achieve anything if I can’t deal with some stress? I feel like the Incredible Hulk. I have to control my anger but if I do not, I don’t turn into a green monster with superpowers. No, I just end up losing some of my vision and who knows if will be as good.
I was diagnosed with CSR about 4 or 5 years ago and without any treatment it did mostly go away in about 4 months. However is has come back every summer. Why summer time I don’t know. Fall 2017 was the first time it did not go away and since it is linked to cortisol levels I decided to see what I could do to support my adrenals. I tried this product: https://www.drbenkim.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=89 and have had really good success. It did not go away completely but my seeing doesn’t feel affected. Only when I look with my CSR eye can I tell my vision is off and a bit darker.
Thank you for sharing.
I had the same thought but came to realize that “some” is the key concept. And for me it has been a reminder not to overdo it. Most of the time is not worth it.
The last year was the most stressful year in memory and so far it has been manageable. I visited the doctor just to be safe and though my vision is not affected, the CSR is back away from my field of vision. I’m not sure how I will feel letting the level of stress go for so long, but CSR is always in the back of my mind for this kind of thing.
I feel we should just think twice about accepting a CEO position or becoming the leader of a country 🙂
Be careful.
I remember test driving a car during my first or second episode just as it was getting dark and it was scary. I didn’t know what was going on but I had to take more than one leap of faith coming out alleys, turning on busy roads… The only person that told me not to drive at night during an episode was myself.
Good luck
Hello everyone,
Similar story to the rest of you. Thank you for sharing your experiences. I developed CSCR on May 25, 2018. Came on suddenly, I had moved some boxes around in my garage then came in to wash up and realized my left eye had gone blurry. I immediately went to the ER, 4 hours later nothing significant was found. I was able to get into an ophthalmologist the next day who diagnosed me with wet macular degeneration, which is not what you want to hear at age 42. Four stressful days later I got in with a retina specialist that set me straight about having CSCR. I was initially thankful and relieved that it wasn’t wet AMD, but the last month has been up and down. After two weeks I thought I noticed slight improvement in visual acuity, but still had yellowish gray scotoma in the center of my vision with blurriness and low contrast. Today, almost 5 weeks since onset I unfortunately can’t say it is any better than when it started. I follow-up with the retina specialist in 5 days. She had said that she may prescribe a diuretic (probably Eplerenone) if there isn’t any sign of improvement. I’m not looking forward to that.
I’ve read several similar signs from all of you that may have precipitated my onset of CSCR:
– Was a 1-2 cup a day coffee drinker
– Was dealing with marginal high blood pressure for previous few months before onset
– Stress? Yes, we all have stress, what is new.
– I had adopted a new high intensity interval training workout a few weeks prior to onset, but had lapsed for a couple of weeks just prior to symptoms
– Started drinking protein shakes a couple times per week just prior to onset (never used protein supplements before)
– Saw a movie the morning of onset with a sugary caffeine soda and large bucket of salty popcorn (did that push it over the edge?)
– I also had been experiencing muscle twitches all over my body for about 6 months prior to onset of symptoms. Sign of stress/anxiety?
– I had been on Fenofibrate 54mg daily for high triglycerides for about 10 months, but was taken off about a month prior to onset of CSCR symptoms.
What I’ve changed over the last 30 days:
– Practicing yoga twice per week
– Taking eye vitamin supplements daily, lutein 25mg and zeaxanthin 5mg, cut back to one fish oil pill 300mg, and started taking Rhodiola and Schazandra for stress
– My diet now mainly consists of fresh leafy green veggies, fresh fruit, and lean proteins
– Cut out almost all sugar, most salt, empty carbs, and dairy
– Significantly cut back on caffeine consumption
– Trying to meditate and deep breath before bedtime, as well as get more restful sleep
Like I said, I think I improved slightly after the first couple weeks, but now I feel like I’ve regressed a bit. I work in front of a computer all day, commute 20 miles to work each day, support a wife with a chronic illness, and we are raising a 5 year old. So the timing couldn’t be worse!
Thanks again to all of you for sharing your stories. It does help to know there are others out there.