Happy 6%

[fbhjr]

I went to the eye doctor this morning to get my “visual field” test done to see if any of my missing eyesight has come back.

When I first got the nerve damage a year and a half ago, I had lost about 30% of my left eye.
This time last year it had improved to having only lost 18% of that eye and the swelling in my optic nerve that had caused it had gone away.
(No one has ever been able to say what caused that swelling to start. There is a three page long list of things that could have done it, and all are about equally likely. I still blame driving through the smoke clouds down south in the fall of 2016 when the fires were very big.)

This year, my right eye has 100% of its vision and my left eye has 88%!

The difference between 82% last year and 88% now may not see big, but to me it is huge.


It was clear a year ago if the improvement to 82% was actual healing or just the swelling going down.
But, with the swelling gone for more than a year now, if it is still improving there must be some healing happening.

I’ll grant you there are still large missing areas, but a big vertical dead spot is now healed.


Nerves are not fast at healing. So, 6% in a year is amazing!

I take the eye drops twice a day. I take the pills every night.
I thought it was better than it had been, but wasn’t sure if it was just my brain getting used to it.

One thing that was weird is having to argue to get my results.
When it first happened, they didn’t give me my results. I only have the image of it because I pointed my camera at the screen while the doctor’s back was turned and got a photo.


Last year I asked and they gave me a copy.

This year I asked and was told “I don’t know. We’ll have to see if you are allowed to have a copy.”
As I checked out, I asked the woman at the front desk.
“I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to print him a copy,” the tech who did the test said.
“They are his results, give him a copy,” the woman said.
“Are you sure?”
“Give it to him!”
“Thank you,” I said to the woman as the tech went off to the printer.
“Let me stamp your parking ticket,” she said. “You don’t have to pay today.”
“Thank you again!” I said.

The tech folded my report through the middle, which annoyed me, but did give me the copy.
Maybe she didn’t want anyone else to see I got a copy. Don’t know.

I didn’t even read it until I got to the car.
But, seeing the 6% improvement was worth it.
Free parking was nice too!

Comments

[brickhousewench]

So glad your eye is getting better. That's fantastic news!

[threemeninaboat]

All your medical results and notes are legally yours. they HAVE to give you a copy if you ask.

That is WONDERFUL news and pretty rare!