I was recently diagnosed with MG and wanted to find out if anyone else has trouble reading or eye tracking. Attempting to read causes severe eye pain and worsens the muscle weakness in other parts of my body.

I would really like to know if anyone else is dealing with this problem, I want to go back to college but have no I idea how I am going able to read and study. Thanks!

Seagirl, I gave up on most reading a long time ago. I can get eye strain but not severe like you're talking about. Have you seen an ophthalmologist to discuss this? Just make sure there's nothing else going on.

Jana, Can you find the post where you gave such good suggestions for the eyes? I can't remember where it is, been AWOL for awhile. It was a recent one. Thanks.

Welcome to the world of MG! These guys are great at support and info, if you have any other questions.

Annie

Is it this one, Annie?

Ok, folks STOP wearing the eye-patch!! I went to a neuro-opthalmologist and his tech fixed a pair of glasses for me with SCOTCH TAPE -- YES, SCOTCH TAPE!!! Here's what you do. Figure out WHICH eye is dominant. My right eye is dominant. So, he put the FUZZY-looking (NOT the clear kind) of Scotch tape over the lens of my left eye (non-dominant). IF you do NOT yet NEED glasses, you could get a pair of those el-cheapo kind at a dollar store and just KNOCK out the lens on the side that you will need to LOOK through -- and put tape on the side you need to cover. I'm telling you, the scotch tape makes the glass JUST blurry enough that you won't be able to focus and it is amazing. When people see me, now -- I almost look "normal". They can see the shape of my eye through the "semi-transparent" tape -- and it takes a second or two for them to figure out something is different. It is not NEARLY as distracting as an eye-patch!! And it lets LIGHT into your eye!!

This post is in "MG - who's idea was this?" http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ht=scotch+tape

Seagirl, I ALSO have prisms for driving and watching TV (the stick on kind -- NOT the super heavy glass kind -- prescription fitted by the neuro-opthalmologist). BUT, my neuro-opth found that my DV was "wonky" -- not totally straight up and down -- not fully side by side -- a combo of both. So, my DV is "twisted" and prisms won't work for reading OR any "fine" vision needs. The tape over a lens works SUPER!!

Oh, to answer your question -- I was trying SOOOO hard to see when DV reared its ugly head that I was getting MIGRAINES and my eyes were bloodshot and painful. Anything that BOTHERS you can make MG worse -- so, I'm not surprised at the muscle weakness in other parts of your body.

I forgot my prism computer glasses this morning so I decided to try the scotch tape idea. This actually does work great. I'm unable to wear an eye patch as my good eye goes all wonky and refuses to focus, but I'm ok with the scotch tape. Unfortunately one of my coworkers told me it looks kinda funny, but double vision vs. looking funny...

To Seagirl...I don't have any advice because I'm struggling with similar issues, but good luck.

Thanks everyone for your replies. I think I might just have to look into audio books and such. I have seen my neuro-opthamologist who told me to see a cognitive therapist. So I guess I just need to find other ways of reading as the Mestinon is not helping as much as I would have hoped nor is cognitive therapy.

If you're interested in audio books, look into Learning Ally (http://www.learningally.org/). They used to be known as Reading Federation for the Blind and Dyslexic. They have quite a few textbooks, plus other books, recorded. The program used to be casset based, but I think they distribute computer files now.

I found it less useful in college due to the rapidly changing text book editions, and let my membership lapse, but if they have the books you need its worth it.

Hi,
your problem is mine too.
I wasn't yet diagnosed with MG but probably i suffer of this illness.
When i try to read something my eyes begin to hurt, they get easily tired and i can't focus on words. So it's impossible to me to read any kind of paper.
Since a lot of time I can read something only through PC because i can modify size of words with it.
I understand what this mean.
Cristina

Thats very similar to how I felt before starting mestinon. I could read off my screen, but trying to focus on something too close would cause my eyes to shut.

I get it real bad with reading (probably how I just set off my latest eye episode ). It depends though, I wasn't even reading very heavily and it strained my eyes. Yet a month or two ago I was reading a LOT more and I was perfectly fine. Maybe it all added up.



PS - thanks for posting that info/link about the scotch tape. Going to try that!

I was at optomitrist on Monday, I have stick on prism right eye to help DV. Problem is somedays I am worse than others. She suggested patching or frosting one lens during these times and alternating so as not to overwork one set of muscles more than the other. A real pain in the whatsit but if it works I will be first in line.