So recently my girlfriend noticed that I was continuously not seeing things slightly to my right hand side, things that definitely should have been in my line of sight. I didn't think much of it and booked the opticians for the following week, It just so happens her aunt is a retired nurse and told me to go to A&E immediately as it could be a detached retina and every hour counts. Again, I didn't think much of it because I never noticed any immediate change in my vision as it has been like this for as long as I can remember.
Fast forward eight days in hospital and after numerous blood tests, ct scan and mri the doctors informed me that I have had one or more TIA's in the previous months or years (too long ago for doctors to pin point). I then realised that 7 months ago in October/November 2018 I had a series of attacks which each lasted anything from 1 minute to 10minutes in the space of two weeks which I thought were low blood sugar as I was in the gym 3-5 times per week and maybe wasn't eating enough. I went to the doctor and looking at a healthy 23 year old male that exercises almost daily, eats healthy doesn't smoke or drink he didn't seem to think I was telling the truth, so I was sent home thinking all was fine. When I told the doctors in hospital this they seemed certain that these were a series of mini strokes and the cause of my homonymous hemianopia. As my brain adapted the visual field loss I never even realised there was anything out of the ordinary.
Now that I am aware of my visual field loss so many instances thinking back where I have missed something, bumped into doorways or people and even taking longer to read things all make sense. I can't stop noticing that I can see everything to my left and nothing to the right of my pupil. It can be disorientating sometimes and frustrating when I do walk into things etc..
So now I am on clopidogrel and atorvastatin, waiting to see an orthoptist and facing the possibility of losing my license, I am also not allowed to drive until I have seen the orthoptist even though I have been driving since last November with no problems.
Has anyone any advice on the possibility of regaining peripheral vision? Surely having my age on my side I hopefully will have plenty of time to recover?
After finding all this out I almost feel like I am made of glass and that I need to experience as much as possible as quickly as possible so that is the main positive to take from the experience.
Hi EmanK, Welcome to our forum. Others will give you better advice than me. I am three years post stroke and lost some peripheral vision. Not enough for me to notice. However I am much older than you(75) and also have age related macular degeneration in both eyes. This means the central vision is slowly deteriorating in both eyes. Yet I stay optimistic, even though, as you say, we realise we are made of glass.
You have many years ahead of you I’m sure and medical advances happen every day and I know there are stem cell treatments now available for some eye conditions. Stay positive and live your life. You have many good years ahead of you.
Hi, so sorry to hear about what u are going through. Some thing seriously needs to be done about these doctors that think because we are young its not a stroke. It makes me so mad. They are just allowed to get away with distroying lives. Wer all here if u need to talk. Sorry but i dont no much about your vision.
I am not a medic, just a SS who has read lots of peoples stroke issues.
I would guess that the statins and bloodthinners are a precaution to reduce the chances of a full stroke. TIAs can be a warning of a full stroke to follow. I hope your BP is being monitored as that is a big give away for many of us.
It is almost impossible for a doctor to know that there was a TIA. Usually it doesnt leave permanent damage, hence the terminology of transient.
If you are reading this forum please note that it is mostly about full strokes. You are highly unlikely to go through the years of recovery that a full stroke requires. That does not mean a TIA is unimportant. It is and I am so pleased you are getting the attention now and not waiting for things to worsen.
Strokes do not respect age. Yes a lot of us are 60+ but most of us were fit before stroke. Otherwise we probably wouldnt be here now. The little lass in resus alongside me,in the stroke resus room, was just six years old. Strokes can occur at any time.
Sorry that none of us know about the vision thing. I think you are an unusual case. TIAs are usually fully recovered in 24 hours. Thats really rotten for you to be such an extreme exception.
I wouldnt rush in to experiencing everything right now. Rest is probably the best thing for a few weeks or even months.
After a stroke there is a mandatory one month when your driving licence is suspended. I drove at the end of the one month. The DVLA didnt need to be informed and my insurance company likewise. And my premium did not go up.
I hope your medics are certain that you havent had a full stroke. You have presumably had a scan or two, searching or any permanent damage. Your aunt will be a super family help, if only to reassure .
You might find it helpful to speak to someon on our helpline 0303 3033 100 as they have a wealth of knowledge about stroke. As someone has already said a TIA is only classed as a TIA if the effects last for 24 hours or less and that cannot be known until after those 24 hours. This factsheet explains TIA https://www.stroke.org.uk/sites/default/files/transient_ischaemic_attack.pdf We also havea dedicated section on sight loss https://mystrokeguide.com/advice-and-information/physical/sight-after-stroke.
It sounds like you're being referred to the correct specialist, let us know how it goes.
I hope all this informaiton is useful, and not anything you've already been told.
I had a subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleed on the brain) in April, I have lost the sight in the bottom right hand corner of my right eye, I don't know if it will improve but will hopefully find out more when I see the neurosurgeon in October, I hope you get good news about your eyesight and it improves, best wishes Katy
Hello Emank - I lost a quarter of my vision after my massive stroke nine years ago at the age of 43.
A succession of opthalmologists have said that nothing can be done and most discharged me almost instantly.
Like you, I barely notice it because I have adapted to it. That said, my driving licence was taken off me because of the visual field loss.
More positively, my last visual field test showed it had improved to 93% vision over a seven year period - an 18% improvement where the "experts" had said I would have none.
As with so much of Stroke recovery - time, patience and nature are the three great healers. Your young age is on your side .
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