After multiple reminders for my overdue eye test, I went to the optician on 01/10/2025. It was just for a standard eye test. I went in with no issues but I came out realising I didn’t have good vision in my left eye and a referral to Opthalmology. The optician told me my left iris is a funny shape and there appear to be deposits. My left vision is blurry and the peripheral vision not ideal. Despite the awry presentation, I’ve not experienced any of the expected symptoms; pain, headaches, light sensitivity and flashes of light. Synechiae was mentioned.
Synechiae (the plural of synechia) are adhesions between tissues in your eye, meaning the tissue sticks together in places where it shouldn’t. It occurs when your iris sticks to the clear tissue in front of, or behind it. It can create pressure in your eye and lead to vision issues.
A few days later, I realised this eye problem could also be related to the nivolumab, as experienced in 2022 with dry eyes. I googled the two and discovered there is a 1% occurrence of synechiae with nivolumab. It looks like another case of the medical people not seeing (ha! Pun not intended!) the rare side effects of immunotherapy or having the awareness.
It's bizarre, or human nature, that I had no problem with my eyes until this appointment, but now the issue has been highlighted I can’t stop noticing my blurry vision in my left eye.
A couple of weeks later, I chased the optician to try and get some drops. I’m thinking I may not have the symptoms to justify a 2WW referral but I’d like to try something in the interim. The original optician (in a Tesco store) is not a dispensing optician. I try the city centre branch and book a £30 private appointment, online. No expense spared!
All goes well. I am seen by the nicest optician I have ever met. I have two tests, and a thorough eye examination. I leave with a prescription for anti-inflammatory eye drops and two more appointments next week to monitor the situation. It’s not until I’m sitting at home 2 hours later that I realise I never paid!
The drops clear up the murkiness and about 10 days later I’m at the local hospital in ophthalmology where synechiae is confirmed. I learn that the eye can normally be unstuck with dilation drops soon after it is discovered, and frequently, there and then, at the eye examination. But mine has been lurking away for a long time. I was given a prescription for a weeks’ worth of dilating drops and we’ll have to see what they say when I return in January.
