<p>We just learned that my SIL is losing/has lost vision in one eye but her regular Dr. couldn’t find anything wrong. Wouldn’t it be obvious if she has glaucoma or a tumor or torn retina or something? He sent her to a specialist, who, hopefully will find what is going on,. We’re not close so I have no other details but it sounds terrifying when even your doctor has no idea why you’re going blind.</p>
<p>Please I implore you to take him to a neurologist. Family member had the same problem and it was a brain tumor. Could be nothing but he needs an MRI asap!</p>
<p>An ophthalmologist should be able to diagnose this, or at least determine if he does need a neurologist. An optometrist is not an MD. They do good things, but an ophthalmologist is an MD. </p>
<p>Oh dear, my mistake-it must have been an ophthalmologist. She had mentioned being happy to be on a new health plan and being able to go back to her original doc. I will suggest to my husband to mention an neurologist. That was my thought as well-my mother was an EEG technician and I know they did studies on people with vision problems. Thanks for the input. </p>
<p>Can she see *anything *out of that eye?
I just went to the opthamologist but have to use steroid drops for two weeks before I can get rechecked.
Irritation even if not visible can compromise your vision.</p>
<p>Diabetes, old sports injuries or childhood head trauma, changes in medication, heredity diseases, etc. Asking on a college web site doesn’t really help because the person needs to seek medical care with MD’s (as mentioned above) An ophthalmologist would refer to a neurologist. </p>
<p>Uncontrolled diabetes can also lead to vision loss. That’s how my uncle lost his sight. Often it’s both eyes at the same time. Would definitely follow up with the ophthamologist and a neurologist – IMMEDIATELY! This is really a time crucial thing to attend to, IF vision can be saved and restored.</p>
<p>Definitely, the opthamologist first. The opthamologist will refer the patient to the neurologist if the problem seems to be in the brain rather than the eye, or to some other doctor (a diabetes specialist for example, or a rheumatologist) if the opthamologist suspects something that the other doctor can diagnose.</p>
<p>Go to an MD, preferably a retina specialist IMMEDIATELY, especially if there is a black or gray “curtain” to the side, top or bottom of the vision. </p>
<p>If it is not the eye itself, it could be diabetes, or some other issue. She might have macular degeneration. I don’t know but I hope she is ok!</p>
<p>Sseamom…an optometrist is also a “doctor”…just not an MD. Our health plan covers optometrists. Your friend could easily have been referring to Dr. Optometrist.</p>
<p>Agreed, friend needs to see an ophthalmologist.</p>
<p>I really don’t know all the details. My SIL tries not to bother anyone or complain and waits too long to be seen. She has shared this issue only because she’s begged off of recent family gatherings because of this and had to explain why. She has an appointment with some specialist on Monday. Again, I don’t know what kind. My mother had vision issues even with what we thought was controlled Type2 diabetes, so I’m aware of the concerns, But it does not run in H’s family nor does SIL have any of the risk factors typically associated with it. That’s why I asked here-not to diagnose but to see what else might be going on because that was my first thought. She isn’t the kind of person who will listen to me but I am very concerned for her. </p>
<p>An optometrist can and should detect a detached retina. They can and should direct the patient to an opthamologist for emergency treatment.</p>
<p>Sseamom, it is good that she is seeing a specialist. A large number of things can affect vision so there is no way to tell what this is. If any of us had ideas it would be only guesses.</p>
<p>Think of this anatomically. A lot of structures are responsible for vision: the eye, parts of the eye, the optic nerve, and the path of the optic nerve all the way to the back of the brain where the part responsible for vision is. As you know, some illnesses that affect the health of the person affect vision,like diabetes or infections. Optometrists take care of the parts of the eye but don’t take care of the other parts that affect vision. If they have a concern, they refer to specialists as this one did. </p>
<p>Lets hope that this is something easily treatable, and the sooner the better, to save the vision she has. </p>
<p>I am a T2 diabetic, and to my knowledge the concern about diabetes and vision is diabetic retinopathy. This is a condition involving the tiny blood vessels in the retina, and it is diagnosed and treated by opthamologists, not “diabetes specialists” (which would presumably be an endocrinologist, who has nothing to do with the eyes). It is quite possible to develop diabetic retinopathy even with extremely well controlled diabetes. I, for example, maintain an HBA1C in the 5.1-5.6 range, I I have recently developed it to a small degree, even though my figures are such that according to some standards I’m not diabetic. (It doesn’t affect my vision. This is monumentally frustrating and upsetting to me, since avoiding it has been my primary motivation in controlling BG through low carb diet.)</p>
<p>I suppose it is possible that diabetic neuropathy could affect the nerves of the eye in other ways, but no one talks about it.</p>
<p>I recently found out that there is another form of retinopathy that has nothing to do with diabetes, and someone I know has it.</p>
<p>The bottom line is that for vision issues, an opthamologist who will do a dilated examination is the first person you should see. They will refer you if someone else is needed.</p>
<p>If you have retinal detachment you shouldnt wait for an opthamologist appt., but tell your dr what you suspect and do what they advise which may be going to the emergency room.</p>
<p>That’s true, EK. </p>
<p>I agree that a neurological cause should be looked for. But, the primary care provider can also manage getting an MRI and referral to a neurologist. There is often a waiting list for the neurologist. </p>
<p>Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy is a degenerative disease of the optic nerve that starts in one eye and causes major central vision loss. You can see better out of your peripheral vision. Sense of color is also messed up. It’s incredibly rare and most eye doctors wouldn’t think to check for it. My brother has it and somebody else in our family already had it, and the doctors he went to were checking for cancer first. </p>
<p>Your SIL should see an ophthalmologist. The optometrists that are in the community (like the one that evaluated your SIL) can range greatly in skill and expertise in terms of medical diseases of the eye. Optometrists are mainly trained to figure out the prescription in your glasses and contact lenses. </p>
<p>When your SIL does see an ophthalmologist and if the ophthalmologist is having difficulty with your SIL’s diagnosis (which would be rare case, indeed), then they will refer you to a neuroophthalmologist. A neuroophthalmologist can make esoteric diagnoses such as Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy as listed above (or other rare Optic Neuropathies; a general ophthal can diagnose common Optic Neuropathies). Please do not have your SIL see an neurologist for vision loss. It will be a wasted visit.</p>
<p>And to answer your question, there are many eye conditions that can cause vision loss that an optometrist cannot detect, depending on the skill of the optometrist. Many of these causes for vision loss are treatable.</p>
<p>UPDATE: Yoho actually got it right-she saw an optometrist who couldn’t detect what was going on, and referred SIL to an ophthalmologist, who she saw today. She actually has some vision but describes it as too blurry to see out of that eye. The ophthalmologist suspects nerve damage but can’t find anything else going on or any obvious cause. He has referred SIL to a neuroopthamologist, but she will not have an appointment until May! Obviously they see no urgency, and that bothers me. H is going to keep in touch with her to make sure she’s ok until then. If I were the patient, I would insist on being seen sooner, but I am not, nor do I run the HMO SIL belongs to.</p>