So, I kind of went blind for a little while today. No, literally.

[iesika]

Today was a very interesting day for me. I was filling out a form at work, and very abruptly went blind in my right eye. It came on very quickly, from a few bright spots one minute to almost total blindness in my right eye the next. I completely twigged out, which was almost as weird and threatening as the blindness (I hardly ever panic in weird or dangerous situations, but I was hyperventilating and disoriented and completely not thinking clearly. I wanted to drive myself to the hospital, for example). So I called my mom, bawled into the phone and told her I was blind which made her freak out a bit, but she came and got me and arranged an emergency visit to the eye doc. This was at about 4:20, mind. My doctor had actually gone home already, but he turned around and came back. 

By the time we got to the doctor, I had gotten most of my vision back, except for my peripheral. I didn't have much of a headache, and what I had felt like eyestrain more than anything. Also, I had been crying (from the panic) so my eyes felt weird and tight anyway, but I definitely felt like there was pressure in or behind my right eye. It was mostly as if a very bright light was shining, or had just been shined, into the corner of my right eye. 

Anyway, Doc says it was probably a stroke. They ruled out retinal detachment rather quickly (to my great relief). He thinks the stroke was probably in my eye, rather than in my brain, since nothing else was affected. The other possibility was that it was a rare type of migraine which only affects vision and does not cause any pain, but neither I nor anyone in my family have any history of migraines. Despite being overweight, I have perfectly healthy blood pressure (I'm overweight because I'm massively addicted to carbohydrates, but my fat intake is very limited, being a vegetarian). It's all really very bizarre. 

I seem to be mostly alright, now. I go in for more tests in the morning. My right eye is still dilated, which is rather disorienting, and makes it hard to tell if things are back to normal yet. I sincerely hope there's no lasting damage. That's what the tests are meant to determine. 

And now I'm furious at myself for not having an X icon of one-eyed Subaru. This situation really calls for one. There's a good one I've seen that reads: "It's all fun and games until someone looses an eye; then it's a pairing."

ETA: Forgot to mention perhaps the most surreal part of the whole thing...While we were there, someone was taking pictures of the staff to use in updating the practice's website, and they dragged my mom out of the examining room to be their "patient" in the pictures. And I'm sitting there half (or at least a quarter) blind, waiting for the dilation drops to take effect and telling them "oh yes, you really should take her picture. She's very photogenic" and my mom is all "WTF MY DAUGHTER IS BLIND!"

Comments

[caerfree.livejournal.com]

Holy shit!!!!! Are ou okay? My gosh, that's so dang scary.

*hugs* We missed you at con too. Hope you can come next year.

Please take care of yourself.

[kasra-c.livejournal.com]

Oh god, that's horrible. A stroke that young? Even if it's just the eye, I'd want to check to see if something more sinister isn't hiding underneath it all (tumor, etc). I hate to sound negative but nearly losing your vision is nothing to sneeze at and write off. Keep us updated, and take care in the meantime. *hugs*

[iesika.livejournal.com]

I definitely haven't written it off. I've been to the doctor twice since it happened and have another appointment this week. There just isn't much I can do about it now.

[wood-rabbit.livejournal.com]

I hate to mention it - I don't know if they checked you for this or not - but we have a friend who went suddenly and temporarily blind - turns out, it is a not uncommon first symptom of MS in women (this was the case with her). Please keep us informed - I will send you good thoughts.

[iesika.livejournal.com]

Thanks for mentioning that. I wasn't aware of the connection. I'm doing all the research I can, so any info is appreciated.

[moonypadlover.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Omigawsh. That sounds scary as hell. *huggles again* My poor baby, always having problems. It's part of you, I suppose. I miss my J ^^

So yeah, as the three above me have stated, keep us posted! Wouldn't want anything bad to happen...or perhaps the right word is worse for this situation...Hmmm. ^_~