MCTD Support Group

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) or Sharp's syndrome is a human autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body. MCTD combines features of polymyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and systemic scleroderma and is thus considered an overlap syndrome. MCTD commonly causes joint pain/swelling, Raynaud phenomenon, muscle inflammation, and scarring of...

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Blurry Vision

tammib
tammib
I have been experiencing blurry vision for a couple of years now. It is getting much worse. I used to have it a few days a week, but now I have it everyday. Like all of my other symptoms except edema, it starts in about 2 or 3 hours after I get up and gets worse as the day progresses. I Initially thought it was just age related, but reading glasses did not help one bit and everything is blurry, not just fine print. It is like looking through tears without the tears. I am really afraid that my rheumy is going to discontinue my Plaquenil, although I have only been on it a few months and the vision thing predates it by a year and a half at least. If she does, are there any other drugs that I could take in place of it? I'm already on Prednisone.
Havana
Havana
Have you had an eye exam? When I started Plaq, i had the full eye check and he took pics of the insides of my eyes as a baseline. But since your probs started long before the drug, it doesn't sound as if they're related. Get it checked out!
Sharon
Livin-Right
Livin-Right
On and off blurry vision, no but Since they have started using prednisone and some other drugs I now have cataracts. They checked it when my 4 month old prescription glasses were blurry. Now i go in once a month to have my eyes checked for progress.

Do you have high blood pressure, I have heard that can effect your vision and some of our meds help you have high blood pressure.
Robert
sunnyinla
sunnyinla
Definitely get your eyes checked with an optomologisr. He/she will do a full checkup of your eyes. A scan more than likely will be done to check the back of the eye. I am on plaquenil as well my eyes ate not being affected by it; however I do now have cataracts due to long term prednisone use. I feel like everything is blurry and glasses don't seem to help.
Best wishes,
Roni
tammib
tammib
I had my eyes checked about a month ago. I passed with flying colors, but my blurry vision is intermittent, although I have it everyday, I don't have it all day. I wasn't having it at the time of my exam. I go back this week for an eye test related to Plaquenil. I think the test has something to do with peripheral vision. Is there another test I should have?
MToennis
MToennis
The visual field screen tests for blank spots in your vision which can be caused by the Plaquenil. They can also see those spots on your macula by exam. Also, they should give you a paper grid to test yourself weekly at home. Blurry vision is not what they are worried about with the Plaquenil, esp the kind that comes and goes.
A good dilation with an exam by an opthomologist helps show other problems that can cause blurry vision like cataracts, floaters, and dry eye. Astigmatism can cause it also. Dry eye can cause it due to gunk on your eye that is not washed away by tears.
Mary Ann