Chemotherapy and worsening of eye-sight

Hi Cat,

I was warned pre chemo that it could affect my eyesight and not to have my eyes tested until I'd finished the full course. My chemo was Taxol and my eyes did deteriorate whilst on the chemo. I have glasses which I wear for driving and don't need them at any other times. In fact if I left them on and tried to read I would end up with a headache. During chemo I found I was wearing them a lot more (with no headaches). It's now two months since my last chemo and my eyes seem to have gone back to how they were although I haven't had them checked yet.

Bad Fairy x

and i thought it was just me....

since i first started chemo about 19 / 20 months ago i have had to change my glasses twice and right now i am making a new appointment to see the optition before christmas if possible.....

my eyesight was perfect , allways has been.....but in the last 19 months i have had my first pair of specs ever, and i had to get another pair as the first pair started to make stuff hard to see ...i had to have a stronger pair.....and now i need a different pair again as these i have now are crap.....

far off stuff i can see.....but anything close and i cant read a dam thing...a total blur.....

pre chemo i had never had a problem......

cvp chemo...chop chemo...rdhap chemo...

iv asked my nurse before if the chemo could be doing my eyes in and she said she didnt think so....so maybe its just a coincidence my eyes have been getting worse since the chemo stuff started.....

ps....and before anyone says anything

NO i have not being doing anything that could make me go blind ...

I've been told (not by Graeme) that the other thing can be affected by chemo too!

My eyes went peculiar during chemo, seem to be mostly back to normal, although I'm at that sort of time of life when people often get glasses anyway.

Adam

Hi all,

Thanks very much for your replies - it is nice to know that I am not the only one to suffer from bad eyesight during chemo.

I have decided to have my eye sight checked and then to discuss the findings with the opthalmologist and the oncologist as well as I don't fancy not being able to drive anymore (I'm short sighted...)

Wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Cat

x

I know this post is months old but thanks so much for the info. I have gone almost completely blind in my right eye and I had really good vision before I started CHOP chemo. I have only had 3 sessions (2 months) and have 3-5 more sessions left that I know of so I am very scared this is going to get worse or maybe more chemo will reduce the chance my eye sight will come back. Its horrible. Did anyone else get loss of vision so early in chemo and did it go back to normal after more chemo??

One very scared gal,

Amie

Just an (belated) update on the deteriation of my eyes - I had a CATARACT operation!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chemotherapy CAN set off cataracts - I saw three different opticiens and only the last one sent me to a proper eye docter who diagnosed that I have had cataracts in both eyes. I have been operated on my right eye - only about 16 months after my last chemo.

Kittecat

I have had 6 months worth of chemotherapy, and am now on Rituximab. My eyesight has deteriated massively. Have had my glasses changed but i still have to use a magnifying glass which doesnt help. Apparently my cataract has come back in my left eye which is unfortunate. I am going to see if i can get anything done for it.