Diplopia with diabetes

[Kay Shepard]

Hope someone has some experience out there with diplopia in diabetes. I have had a strange course of diabetes & it just keeps getting stranger! I developed Type II diabetes over 4 years ago. No family history, and I'm not obese. In May I had surgery, & all the preliminary labwork was perfectly normal. A couple of months later I had numb toes (my only symptom) and thought I had tarsal tunnel or something. But no, I was diagnosed with diabetes. In spite of keeping my glycohemoglobin A1c close to 5.0, I now have neuropathy & my feet are almost totally numb. Now I have developed diplopia. My ophthamologist said he would not know I was diabetic by looking at my retinas, they are so clear. But he could not figure out the diplopia. He & my internist finally sent me to an neuro-ophthamologist, who says my lenses are absorbing glucose from the vitreous humor, and that distorts the lenses and scleroses them, eventually resulting in having to have the lenses removed. He says it is very rare, and most ophthamologists have never seen it. He has given me an Rx for pilocarpine to constrict my pupils to try for the "pinhole effect" to help my vision. But he said it might not help or might cause blurred vision. This is wreaking havoc on my nursing. I am only 54. Does anyone with diabetes expertise out there have any words of wisdom for me? Help!

[Kayla8]

Kay,

My name is Nerissa, I am about to take my husband to Retina specialist today. He has juvenile diabetes. For years now he'd been having eye problems, he had several laser surgery. The blood vesels in his eyes breaks, and causes him to have blurry vision, fortunatelyu in the past one eye at a time...but this time both eyes, I feel so bad for him, but I could not do anything. Our regular opthalmologists told us that he might need a major eye surgery to lessen the bleeding. He had some legs tingling too, I massage his entire body for better blood circulation, and I massage his legs a lot. He plays tennis and very active in our yard. He's only 47 years old. I pray to God that this retina specialist will tell us what to do. I will pray for you too.

[Kay Shepard]

I find it very humbling but helpful to be put in a position of being thankful for what I have. God is good. He will make something good result from your husband's problems, and He'll always be there for you. My vision problems seem minor in comparison to your husband's, and I will pray for him. Thank you for taking the time to reply to me.

[NurseDennie, BSN, RN]

Wow, Kay. That is rare. So what are you do doing for it right now? That must be very difficult to deal with on a day-to-day basis.

Confirms my longstanding opinion that DM is an evil, nasty disease.

My prayers with both you and Kayla's hubby!

Love

Dennie

[Kay Shepard]

I have been treating with an internist, who knows me well and has been trying to work with me, but now I am going to go to an endocrinologist. I probably should have done so from the beginning, but thought, "Just Type II, and I'm a nurse! I can do this!" However, we can't find oral medications that work but don't cause me problems, so I have made the appt. with the specialist. However, I can't get in til August 29! I can't believe it! In the meantime, I am just being an angel and trying to keep my blood sugar as close to normal as possible. But it is hard! I have a desk job and am not getting enough exercise. I need to try harder. Keep me in your prayers! Thanks...