I began having eye pain over a week ago. It is like a soreness that I feel when I turn my eyes to the side or up or down. It is somewhat intermittent throughout the day. I have had this feeling at times in the past, perhaps when I had the flu or bad cold or sinus infection. But I have not been sick at all. It started when I was taking topamax for the headache. About 1 week after being on topamax I noticed some other visual problems - flashing spots in peripheral vision and dark speckles only when looking at certain things. The spots and speckles resolved within two days of stopping the topamax. But the eye soreness is not going away. I was due for my annual eye exam which I had yesterday (with optometrist). She did not find anything abnormal. I did not expect her to know much, if anything, about chiari, and she said she "looked it up" when I was in the waiting area. She did have me schedule a field vision test, which won't be for another month. Her only explanation for the eye pain was that perhaps it was my sinuses. The neurologist wanted me to call back to give an update on my eyes since stopping the topamax, which I have not done yet. I am reluctant to call them because all they ever say is it (whatever symptom I have) is related to my "migraine". They do not believe my symptoms are chiari related. I am not scheduled to see the neurosurgeon for another month. Where do I go from here? Have any of you experienced this symptom?
yes i get eye pain every once in a while, specially if i don't have my sun glasses on. the eye dr could not find nothing wrong either. but the nl said that the nerve test showed my left eye is a little slower then the right one and that is the one that bothers me the most.
I used to get the eye pain all the time. I haven't noticed it as much since surgery!
My eye pain started about three years ago off and on. Since I wear glassess just thought it was time for a new pair. Now I have eye pain daily since having downbeat nystagmus that just got worse. My NL says it's all chiari related. Doesnt know if surgery will help have to talk to NS. Since my eyes focus on different points and always move I have prisms in glassess that help just a little. I just try not to read or focus on something for to long it seems to help.
I get eye pain with Chiari also, but Topamax can cause eye problems so it is best that you call you NL. It is listed in the side effects. It can actually be rather serious, so please don't ignore it.
http://www.webmd.com/drugs/mono-6019-TOPIRAMATE+-+ORAL.aspx?drugid=14494&drugname=topamax+oral
"Rarely, topiramate may cause a very serious eye problem, generally within 1 month of starting treatment. If untreated, this eye problem can lead to permanent blindness. Therefore, get medical help right away if any of these side effects occur: sudden vision changes (such as decreased vision, blurred vision), eye pain/redness."
I had vision problems and eye pain before I started the medication hope it gets better
Thank you Nicole for the warning. I knew that topamax could cause serious eye problems, although it is supposed to be rare. That is why I stopped it. So I was glad that my eye pressure was normal. I guess I am just trying to figure out if it is a common chiari symptom. Sounds like all of you have had it, so perhaps it is. Thanks for your responses.
I too, get serious eye pain. My eye pressure is normal. It is in the nerve for me. It accompanies the terrible headaches. It seems to flare when am more active with exercising and lifting, and yard work (anything that raises my BP) . Everything for me is intermittent. But I also have a mastoid effusion- something is putting pressure on the nerve in my eye (I have been to the opthamologist and the optometrist) vision went form normal ten years ago (no glasses to read print) to 20/200 today.(legally blind) -my eyes are healthy otherwise. No DX of chiari though. Only syringomyelia (with a ton of symptoms). I have sent my MRI results to Dr Tews' office for a second opinion.
I have had eye pain before and after decompression surgery. It was worse before surgery, but I still have days where it's painful.
I try to put a warm rice-pack over my eyes for a few minutes, and that helps. If you're a Chiarian who likes cold, perhaps a cold compress would work too.
Yes, I get eye pain too. Sometimes it’s a soreness when moving my eyes, like you describe. Other times, it’s sharp pain or pressure. It can happen in one or both eyes. My eye exams are always fine.
The worse my headache, the more my eyes are sensitive to light.
I hope you get some good, reliable help very soon.
Yes I have had eye pain. I get really nervous when that happens. In 2009 I had Optic Neuritis in my left eye and I have a permanent blur spot in the middle of my vision. Not long ago I developed pain in my right upper inner eye and it really hurt when I moved it. The vision was not affected though. I got a little nervous since it was my good eye. Lasted a few days then went away. I will have a hard time diferentiating between MS and Chiari symtoms.
I recently was seen by a Neuro-Ophthalmologist and had several tests. He said I have some inflamation on the Optic Nerves, but he doesn't think that this was from the Chiari either. Since I have been seeing an Anesthesiologist/Pain doctor. He thinks that "because I get these heated feelings that roll a cross my scalp" along with the type of headaches I get, I also have Occipital Neuralgia. I get injections into my Greater and Lessor Occipital Nerves because I get them bilateral and they radiate up to the back of my eyes. I tell you this because it's possible you may have the same thing. This is the best way I can explain ON.
The greater occipital nerve is like the trunk of a huge tree that comes out of your spine at your neck and spreads over your whole side of your head. It has many many branches that cover the head right over to your eye socket. These branches have thousands of leaves and these are your hair follicles. Occipital neuralgia is a massive electrical storm over this tree causing debilitating pain that travels through the trunk up the branches and comes right to the end of the hair follicles causing electric shock and ice pick pain, migraine type spasms, throbbing, dizziness, nausea, light, sound, and sometimes taste sensitivities. Being so painful the illness is in the class of the suicide illnesses.
Yes, this pain is probably in the trimengial nerve ( I get it too, and my eye doctor says my eyes are healthy from their viewpoint) and are pointing to the nerves for the reason for my pain. I cannot look up or to the sides when my headaches and eyes are having a flare up. I havent as of yet been dx with chari, but I do have a syrinx from the cervial area down to the conus. I am going to see Dr tew next month and he is having a CINE MRI done.
Yes, my eyes are getting really bad; it is almost unbearable.
TOPAMAX CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS EYE COMPLICATION!
Trust me, I know - it happened to me. It is called Cilliary Effusion Syndrome. It causes swelling in the eye and can shift your vision. If left untreated, it can lead to Glaucoma. It usually shows up within the first month of taking the med.
My eye doctor had to use a special technique to get a close enough look to diagnose me. I don't know if your doctor could have seen it during a normal eye exam. Ask the person who prescribed you Topamax for a referral for a special exam.
Please, get your vision checked if you think it is at all possible that this could be the cause of your eye pain!