Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Issues With Eyes, Sensitivity To Light

Christine0125

By Christine0125
in Related Issues & Disorders

Recommended Posts

Christine0125 Contributor
Christine0125
Posted

9 years ago before diagnosed with celiac I had a case of optic neuritis.  My eyesight was completely blurry and required IV steroids.  I had follow-up appointments with the neurologist but MRIs did not show signs of MS.  After diagnosis, I had done some research and turns out there can be a link between optic neuritis and celiac (auto-immune inflammation).  My eyes have been fine since until the last week where I'm having a lot of sensitivity to light.  My vision however is not impacted this times - but my eyes are more comfortable with sunglasses or dim light.  I've ignored symptoms in the past and don't want to do that, but certainly don't want to set off alarms if my eyes are just strained.  Anyone else have this issue occasionally and what do you do to help? 

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Celiacandme Apprentice
Celiacandme
Posted

I followed this topic yesterday because I'm curious to see what, if anything, people have to say about this. My eyes have always been sensitive to light. I've always been known as the one to have sunglasses on all the time. The sensitivity did get worse since being diagnosed with celiac disease in Nov of 2013. (I've also however been diagnosed with lupus 4 months after my celiac diagnosis)

 

I don't know what to suggest to help. What kind of light bothers you the most? Sunlight? Computer screens? Since you've had neuritis in the past it might be worth going in for an appointment, just to be safe. I hope someone else will be able to chime in!

Christine0125 Contributor
Christine0125
Posted
  • Author

Thanks - I hope others chime in as well.  Computer screens and bright neon lights (such as grocery stores) are bad.  My eyes adjust and feel normal with more dim/natural light or when I'm wearing sunglasses.  I did make an eye appointment for this week (I was overdue anyhow).  I also happen to have a celiac followup with the GI next week.  I've been having more celiac like digestive issues in recent weeks as well so I think overall inflammation is likely the cause here - very frustrating as I'm strictly gluten free.  I'm cutting out milk in hopes that helps.   Last time my eyes did get better overtime so I'm hopeful for the same thing this time but it's challenging working at a computer all day right now.  I'd like to avoid an appointment with the neurologist if possible - they seem to only want to link optic neuritis with MS but as of last MRI I had no signs of that.  

Celiacandme Apprentice
Celiacandme
Posted

Let us know how your appointment goes. I hope cutting dairy helps you. I had to essentially cut out anything inflammatory. So glad your MRI showed no signs of MS!

Christine0125 Contributor
Christine0125
Posted
  • Author

Will do!  Can you give me a quick list of the foods that you've found to be inflammatory?  Up until recently, as long as it was gluten free, I was feeling great!  I'm sure coffee is at the top of the list but I'm not yet ready to give that up.  EEK!

Celiacandme Apprentice
Celiacandme
Posted

For me I found I was reacting to soy, corn, corn syrup, dairy, potato. I switched to sweet potato, or am trying to. I haven't been able to completely give it up but after not having it when I do have a regular potato my skin, stomach, joints react. (keep in mind I also rec'd a lupus diagnosis) But for me it keeps my body reacting and I'm trying what I can to calm it down. I have not given up coffee. I thought about it and tried for about a week last summer but just could not do it. ;) I don't think I'm reacting to coffee terribly. If so, I don't notice it.

 

Seems many here talk about having to give up other foods. Corn, dairy, high fructose corn syrup, soy, and sugar seem to be common ones.

 

Another thing to try is a rotation type diet. I met someone locally at a celiac meeting and she felt that she was reacting to dairy but found if she could handle a little bit of it every four days or so.

corrinne Newbie
corrinne
Posted

Wow I never heard of this connection! I have terrible light sensitivity: I am always wearing sunglasses, and I can't watch TC and can only barely tolerate working on the computer (which I need to do for my job). Is there any research on this ? I am so curious about it. 

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Christine0125 Contributor
Christine0125
Posted
  • Author

Quick update for those following the topic.  I just got back from the ophthalmologist and he doesn't think it's optic neuritis this time.  He does see a lot of inflammation in my right eye and diagnosed it as uveitis.  He says it's common to have uveitis with various inflammatory bowel disorders.  I have steroid eye drops that he expects to work pretty quickly.  Just got over a stomach bug or a glutening 2 weeks ago so it seems plausible that this is the cause this time.  Feeling relieved that this will do the trick.  Optic neuritis was treated with 3 days of IV steroids and multiple brain MRIs and I was dreading having to go through that again.   

Celiacandme Apprentice
Celiacandme
Posted

Glad to hear it isn't optic neuritis again. I hope those eye drops do work quickly!

cristiana Veteran
cristiana
Posted

Glad you found out what it was.  I hope the eye drops work soon.   I read this thread with great interest as I have had some odd eye issues in the last ten years.  I had a short episode of double vision when my youngest child was very small and around that time I had lost a bit of peripheral vision for a few days.   MRIs were clear though.  My eyesight went back to normal when I had the next round of eye tests.  I have migraines so I wondered if the peripheral vision thing might have been an optical migraine thing.  I also recall my night vision was bad - depth perception, never really knowing how far car lights were away from me on an unfamiliar road. And yet my optician said my eyesight was great according to his tests!  Oh ... and light sensitivity - for some years way before I was diagnosed my eyes always hurt too, in grey light.  

 

Since DX my night vision is greatly improved.  Coinciding with taking sublingual B12.  I have looked into it a bit and found a lack of B12 can cause problems in the eyes.  With no other explanations to go on, I have come to the conclusion that my eyesight problems might have been caused by malnutrition.

 

Here is a link but there are more.

 

 Open Original Shared Link

Christine0125 Contributor
Christine0125
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the link.  I had been taking B12 supplements when first diagnosed but my last couple labs showed my levels in the high range and had stopped thinking that I was getting plenty in diet alone.  I think I'll start that back up with the history of eye issues I've had. 

cristiana Veteran
cristiana
Posted

Hi Christine - do you have your B12 numbers to hand?  I am interested - before DX they were just over the minimum level for me, which I think with my lab was something like 150.   They went up to near 200, then when I started getting D. they went down again.   My nutritionalist told me she was surprised I wasn't offered injections.  However, I might ask for another B12 test again as I would be interested to see what the levels are like now.  I guess other vitamin and mineral shortages can cause eye damage too...

 

Do you also have dry eyes?  They don't feel dry to me but my sister tells me they are red so I must have!  I have wondered if I might be getting Sjorgens (sp?).

 

Out of interest, my optician told me some time back I should be eating Kale, it is supposed to be really good for eyesight.

Christine0125 Contributor
Christine0125
Posted
  • Author

Yep - I have online lab results.  Like I said, mine have always been normal to high.  Last labs showed B12 981 pg/mL range 211-946.  Since it was marked as high, I stopped taking the supplement. 

 

Trying to be patient - no change yet (but it's only been 24 hours) with the drops. 

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,110
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    JD Payton
    Newest Member
    JD Payton
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • RMJ
      need help understanding testing result for Naked Nutrition Creatine please

      By RMJ · Posted

      They don’t give a sample size (serving size is different from sample size) so it is hard to tell just what the result means.  However, the way the result is presented  does look like it is below the limit of what their test can measure, so that is good.
    • knitty kitty
      Insomnia help

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @cristiana,  I react the same way.  Dairy consumption flushes out my digestive system within an hour, too! As casein is digested, it forms casomorphins that bind to opioid receptors in our bodies.  This is similar to digested gluten peptides being able to attach to opioid receptors in our bodies.   We have opioid receptors throughout our bodies including lots in the digestive tract. Casein raises tTg IgA antibodies just like gluten consumption does, which leads to further intestinal damage and continuing inflammation.  No wonder our bodies react to it by pushing the "emergency evacuation" ejection seat button! The mother of my childhood friend was British and introduced me to drinking tea properly with milk or cream.  I miss it so much.  And chocolate ice cream.  Not worth the after effects, though.  I've found taking Omega Three supplements (flaxseed oil, sunflower seed oil, evening primrose oil) helps shake those dairy cravings.   Green leafy veggies like broccoli, kale, and greens (mustard, turnip, collards) are great sources of calcium.  Avoid spinach as it is high in oxalates that block calcium absorption and may cause kidney stones.  Yes, more leafy greens are needed to reach the same amount of calcium in a glass of milk, but the greens have other benefits, like increased dietary fiber and polyphenols that act as antioxidants, reduce inflammation, and promote health.   Exposure to gluten (and casein in those sensitive to it) can cause an increased immune response and inflammation for months afterwards.  The immune cells that make tTg IgA antibodies which are triggered today are going to live for about two years. During that time, inflammation is heightened.  Those immune cells only replicate when triggered.  If those immune cells don't get triggered again for about two years, they die without leaving any descendents programmed to trigger on gluten and casein.  The immune system forgets gluten and casein need to be attacked.  The Celiac genes turn off.  This is remission.   Some people in remission report being able to consume gluten again without consequence.  Another triggering event can turn the Celiac genes on again.   Celiac genes are turned on by a triggering event (physical or emotional stress).  There's some evidence that thiamine insufficiency contributes to the turning on of autoimmune genes.  There is an increased biological need for thiamine when we are physically or emotionally stressed.  Thiamine cannot be stored for more than twenty-one days and may be depleted in as little as three during physical and emotional stresses. Mitochondria without sufficient thiamine become damaged and don't function properly.  This gets relayed to the genes and autoimmune disease genes turn on.  Thiamine and other B vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients are needed to replace the dysfunctional mitochondria and repair the damage to the body.  
    • TheDHhurts
      need help understanding testing result for Naked Nutrition Creatine please

      By TheDHhurts · Posted

      Hi, I bought Naked Nutrition Creatine. It lists itself as gluten free but is not certified. (It used to be, but they dropped it in the past year or two apparently.) I wrote the company and asked them what testing results they had for creatine and they sent me the attached, which says the test result for gluten is <0.025MCG. I'm used to seeing test results as ppm, so I'm not sure what <0.025MCG means. Can it be converted to ppm easily? I want to confirm that it is safe to use.
    • cristiana
      Insomnia help

      By cristiana · Posted

      When I was still recovering my gastroenterologist suggested I bought lactofree product as I was very bloated.  So I bought some from the supermarket and from memory, I drank a nice big glass of milk - and it went right through me literally within an hour or so, if my memory serves correctly.  I came off dairy completely next and it worked like a charm, but started to reintroduce quite gradually it as I missed it! To this day, if I overdo dairy products, they work like a mild laxative.  I've never wanted to give up milk completely as I like it so much, and my mum had osteoporosis and it's an easy way of getting calcium.  But it doesn't really 'sit' well with me.   You may need to experiment a bit as when I was healing certain dairy products were worse than others - I could cope with one brand of Greek yoghurt, but I got extremely and painfully bloated with another brand of live British yoghurt.  
    • wellthatsfun
      nothing has changed

      By wellthatsfun · Posted

      i have been strictly gluten free for 7 months. this includes avoiding anything that may contain gluten and making sure surfaces and appliances are clean. i am 18 years old in australia and my tTG-IgA results were 69U/mL, pretty low compared to most people's, for reference. i feel the exact same as before. sure, i was pretty much asymptomatic/silent. the worst i'd get was occasionally bad stools and pitting of the nails/brittle hair since early childhood - and i was diagnosed with low iron and vitamin d which checks out due to easy bruising and such. but those symptoms have remained. maybe i'm jumping the gun, sure. i know it can take years to fully heal. but being over half a year in, i feel that i should be, y'know, healing. i'm nearly at my wits end and wondering if i should have a piece of bread or something to see how i go - to see if i possibly have refractory? my mental health is declining as i feel myself wanting to bang my head against a damn wall out of frustration every day. cravings haven't gotten better. look, i love the stuff i still can have, like salads and such. OH! i haven't lost any weight, which is mind boggling considering i eat very healthily now! i've always been on the chubbier side which is atypical of coeliac. i just don't know what's going on with me. i try to remain hopeful but i'm just so sad all the time. thanks for reading  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.