Could Use Some Advice (Eye Help)

[zappbrannigan]

Yes, this is a long post. Read or gtfo.

----

I've been having some vision problems and I was just wondering if anyone has had any similar experiences or knows what's going on here:

Since January 30th I've been experiencing "flickering" in my vision. It's hard to describe, but the best way I can is to say it's like a subtle fluorescent light flicker. It's not that obtrusive, but it's definitely noticeable. This goes on 24/7.

*As an aside, let me say that the day before (the 29th), I was working on the computer and I got a little pain (not severe) in my left eye and when I looked in the mirror I noticed it was a little blood shot (just in one section near the iris, not the typical "snowflake" blood shot eye look). I'm not sure if this is related at all, but it certainly might be so I thought I should include it*

I booked an appointment with the optometrist for February 3rd, who tested my eyes and said that they were pretty good, but that I have an astigmatism in my left eye (related to what I mentioned above? I don't know, probably just a coincidence). He prescribed glasses, but said that my vision was pretty good so they were optional. At the time I thought what I had was eye-strain so I asked him about that and he just suggested I take breaks when using the computer, etc, etc.

Several hours after the optometrist appointment, I noticed my left eye was noticeably blood shot. About a half hour to an hour later, that had dissipated, but now both my eyes are blood shot (though I have to move my eyes or pull up my eye lids to really see any of it). There's been subtle improvements since, but they look more or less the same.

On the 7th of February I got some eye drops from a drug store and started taking them. I stopped taking them on about the 23rd, however, because there didn't seem to be much improvement, if any at all.

I saw my doctor on the 15th and he thought it might be an ocular migraine, but seeing as how I still have this ~ 6 weeks later, I doubt that.

Coincidentally, my doctor retired at the end of February so I've been going to a clinic. The doctor I saw on February 28th at the clinic wasn't sure what to make of it either. She examined my eyes with that light and said there are no tears (as in torn, not the watery kind of "tear," god damn English) so that's good. She suggested seeing the optometrist again/getting the glasses or booking a physical. Just today I had my physical and the doctor I saw wasn't much help, either, but did suggest the glasses.

If I can self-diagnose, it seems at this point that I probably do need glasses because the flickering, blood shot eyes, etc might be a result of my eyes being a little overworked and need some rest/help. I have noticed that every once and a while my eyes will sort of "space out" or unfocus, but it's often at times when one would be daydreaming so it's hard to know if it's truly anymore than "normal."

I've never been able to say all of this information to the doctors I've seen because I always try to see what they have to say and answer back, etc. Plus, as Keith has noted, I do sometimes feel a little rushed out the door.

Anyway, I'm thinking at this point I'm just going to find a sale somewhere and get some inexpensive glasses. I was prescribed glasses after all. If anyone has experienced this before (or something similar) let me know.