Medication Gave Me Blurred Vision, Thus I Have To Wear Reading Glasses Still
It has been about a year since I wrote about my vision impairment caused by medication. Anti psychotic side effect medication can cause blurred vision in some people as it did with me, it still hampers me some so I wear reading glasses. When I was taking the side effect medication procyclidine, I was faced with getting blurred vision which constantly got worse, the medication kemaerin and cogentin can cause the same effect. At one point I was up to +375 magnification for reading glasses. I had been able to reduce to +150 reading glasses a year ago and at present I have good vision using +250 glasses. When I was hospitalized last spring for my EPSE (extra pyramidal side effects) I was put on side effect medication which hampered my vision once again. My vision is still improving as time goes by even although I am 47 years old this year. I end up buying my glasses at the Dollar Stores a fare bit, the frames do not last as long as the more expensive reading glasses that can be purchased in the local Pharmacy. Depending on the quality of the frames one can pay up to $30.00 for reading glasses. About a month ago my Mum bought me a pair of reading glasses in the Pharmacy that were on sale, I believe she paid about $15.00 for them, unfortunately they did not last for I lost them at the hospital somehow. At this point I had to make a trip to the Dollar Store to replace them for I could not afford a pair from the Pharmacy at the time. The frames from this replacement pair are already screwed up some and sit cock eyed on my nose, they really do not last like the better quality from the Pharmacy. With always changing between sun glasses and reading glasses when I am out and around the city, I invested in a neat pair of glasses that come with a case from the Pharmacy. As seen in the picture with this posting, the glasses in the case prove for a reliable pair with the case to put in my pocket when I am out side my apartment. I paid $2.99 plus tax for them in a local Pharmacy, they are not top of the line frames but the included case helps to keep the reading glasses in shape so they sit squarely on the nose like they are supposed to. When it comes to using reading glasses one must get their eyes checked to make sure of the cause of loss of vision. I was checked out at the Hospital Optometrist Clinic to make sure that it was indeed the medication that was causing my vision impairment. When it was verified by the Doctor in the Clinic I continued to use the reading glasses. I do not take side effect medication any more due to being on a limited amount of anti-psychotic medication and the bouts of EPSE are few and far between. It is surprising how long it takes medication to completely leave your system, for my vision does seem to constantly improve. Each time I buy new reading glasses I find something in the store to read that has very fine print. When I am happy with being able to read the fine print on store items, I get the appropriate glasses at the time. I do not know if I will ever be able to see clear enough to not use reading glasses, I always had really good vision and I am just happy with the having the slow reduction of magnification being used. Like anyone my vision is important to me, especially as an Artist trying to paint fine detail or while doing photography. I remember painting fine detail with blurred vision as my eyes were changing, even although I was wearing reading glasses. When doing photography I have to wear my reading glasses to focus the camera, other wise the developed photo will not be focused right. The glasses are propped on my nose so that I can look at things at a distance without looking through the glasses, then I switch to looking through the glasses when I go to read something such as when I am shopping. As time goes by and my vision improves, I will make added notes to this posting, until then take care of your eyes and get them properly checked if you tend to have blurred vision.
