Eyes going bad my kill my photography

I am left eye dominant but I developed large floaters in that eye, not spot but what look like large pieces of lint that cover 25% or more of the eye moving in and out. I forced myself to switch eyes to my right eye at the eyepiece and all was good.
BUT NOW over the last 2 weeks I have developed large lint like floaters in the right eye. With both eyes having these floaters that move across my center of vision constantly it is getting tough to work on the computer and tough to read. IMAGINE someone moving their hands in front of your eyes about arms length (with fingers spread out) in front of your face, that is about the size of the floaters.
So far it is worse working on the PC in LR or PS or reading as you have a larger field of view, with the camera you use the center of your vision so they are less noticeable but will still move across the view at times.
I have a meeting with an Ophthalmologist like I did with the left eye but it is the same thing, I am severely myopic, worse than 20/400, legally blind without my glasses and they say it is thickening vitreous gel and pieces breaking up and the things that can be done can cause worse problems.
I am hoping not to have to give up photography, but part of the problem may well end up being, being unable to drive and maybe the wife and kids will change but right now they are saying if I need or want a ride it will have to be on their schedule and not every day or even once a week as they are busy.
At least I can still attract more birds to the yard to do birds on the feeders imaging.

This getting old sucks

Jeff that is not nice.
Having had a very severe detached retina (followed by the other giving grief) and multiple operations I appreciate your problems.
I know eye surgery is risky but also know the benefits.
Trust your specialist can help in your needs and that it's beneficial and your sight can be preserved.

All the best.

Maybe you should get a second opinion on what’s causing it and how it can be treated?

I’m also very nearsighted. I’ve had small floaters for decades, and had a detached retina repaired. But nothing like what you’re describing.

I have an appointment tomorrow, about 4 years ago when I got them in the left eye I went to 3 specialists and will do the same now. Mainly want to make sure it is not a detached retina

I did find that it won't affect photography, or at least taking picture through the EP at this time as I am staring straight through the EP/lens and mostly don't float into that small area but when I am looking for BIF I keep mistaking the floaters for birds ROFL

I've had posterior vitreous detachment in both eyes, a few years apart. This is different from detached retina. It's common with age, but it's scary if you didn't expect it and don't know what it is. You see shadows of bits of tissue that are out of place.

Sorry to hear (read, actually) guys.

Yes, getting old is not fun.

Man that so sucks.... sorry to hear it. I am facing the same realization, not as dramatic as your by any means, but I do see a day when I will have to revisit my "hobby". From vision failing, to being a lot less able/willing to get really low for shots.... its a challenge. Hope they find a way to mitigate this for ya and you can continue to enjoy your chosen craft.

Jeff,

So sorry to hear if all this. I also am losing some of my sight thru Glaucoma. They do tell me I should get some of my sight back with eye drops. For maybe a year now I have not been able to see the North Star at all. It is also hard for me to read small fonts on the computer, if I squint I can kinda see things. There is a new Glaucoma doctor in town. She is the only Glaucoma doctor around just coming here within that last few months.

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I'm really sorry to hear this, Jeff. I know how much you enjoy photographing critters, and how big a part of your life it is.

I would encourage you to be as aggressive and "pushy" and assertive as possible in pursuing whatever medical treatments and procedures you can. . Sometimes we have to fight for the health system to do the things that are best for us - especially so if you are dependent on the VA for such things. . For some folks on VA care, if they just accepted what the doctors told them, then they would never get anywhere. . Second, third, and fourth opinions can be invaluable. . Gotta fight for what's right!


.

Sorry to hear this Jeff, awful news.

Hopefully your local Ophtho options have the ability to break up larger floaters with a laser. Pretty solid treatment option, if it's just big floaters, and not detachment or something else.

Very best,

Inspeqtor - I am glad to see that you are persevering and not giving up, I feel your pain. I am sure there are others in the same boat as we. I have a friend who is a coin dealer and has macular degeneration, loss of sight in the center of his vision and it makes it really tough to grade coins and he can't drive or take pictures so he told me he lives vicariously through my photograhy.

I went to the Ophthalmologist Thursday and did checked both eyes, thankfully there is no tear or separation but is going to follow up every 3 months. There is basically nothing I can do about the floaters even though they are huge (fist sized at arms length) since the operation or lasik are very risky. He also saw a large cataract in the right eye so maybe someday when that is fix the floaters make be reduced.
In the meantime I am trying to learn to ignore them, which I had been mostly able to do with the left eye.

a couple thoughts, one while at times it can be hard to see the screen on the PC if I stare at it while reading or typing and don't move my eyes at all the floaters move off to the side but if I look around the screen they move back in, lucky I can type without looking at the keys.

Photography, while looking for birds I keep thinking floaters are BIF and start and lift the camera... only a floater... but when I look through the EP I am "staring" straight ahead and the floaters don't interfere except once in a while. Just that the birds get a lot closer before I notice them due to the floaters. I am thankful for auto-focus!

This getting old sucks but at least these problems waited until I retired, I was a computer programmer staring at the screen for 10+ hours a day.

I also feel bad that I am crying "woe is me" when there are people with worse coinditions and problems than I have, after all I can still get around and not restricted to a wheelchair or something. Thank you for your concern and thoughts.

Thank you Jeff

Jeff USN Photog 72-76 wrote in post #19247064
I went to the Ophthalmologist Thursday and did checked both eyes, thankfully there is no tear or separation but is going to follow up every 3 months. . . .

I also feel bad that I am crying "woe is me" when there are people with worse coinditions and problems than I have, after all I can still get around and not restricted to a wheelchair or something.

"No tear or separation" is really good news. That's a big relief. I wouldn't worry about being entitled to "woe is me" or not just because some people have it worse. Feeling distressed about your own health conditions isn't a scarce resource that you have to get in line for and wait until the neediest customers have been served. There will always be people luckier and unluckier than oneself in different ways, and making comparisons with them doesn't change the reality of what each person has to deal with.

I haven't been photographing the last week or so as I am still trying to get used to driving with the new floaters and even trying to get used to using the PC screen.

hope to get out this week

Jeff can you flick them out of the way?
By that I mean look right or left, sharply, and they move to another part of your eye?
Gave me temporary relief for quite a period and I'd avoid sudden head, eye movement in the hope it'd stay clear, which it did for a while.
After my detached retina I had some floaters and they would get in the way, but not dramatically so.
I'd look sideways quickly and send them to another part of my eye.
I also had a time when my eye was filled with oil and that too caused similar, but the oil being thick caused any debris to be more difficult to "move about"