I do, but it was not immediately post op. For me, it was considered age related (over 50), as we tend to lose moisture in our aqueous humor as we age. That leads to the symptoms of floaters and flashes. I also was worried about retinal detachment, but everything checked out fine. I get periodic retinal eye scans for diabetes anyway, so that is a double check for me. I also have other autoimmune disorders- arthritis, chronic dry eyes, Raynauds.

Jan

HI
I also have been getting flashes since the Takedown surgery last September.I been seen by a neuro opath and a retinologist.I did not fair well on field of vision.
They also found debri (calcium) behind my eyes which they both felt was a contributing effect to the flashes.I have to do follow up shortly on this.
I have a history of Endometriosis ,Hypothyroid dry eye and list goes on

My vision has also had major change in vision loss.

Cassiecass
My gastro Md also told me it can be related to my intestional woes.But we did not go into it .

I was diagnosed with CSR (Central Seruous Retinopathy) back in 2009. This chronic condition is of unknown origin and is characterized by blisters of fluid around the retina which cause blurred vision, floaters and in my case sudden and extreme difficulty reading restaurant menus and labels on food products.

It's easily diagnosed with a dye test in which you are injected with a yellow/orange dye which is allowed to course through your veins until it hits your eyeballs. Then they snap some very neat laser pics of the eyeballs. I still have mine. They show where the blisters of fluid are in relation to the retina. Very cool and scary at the same time.

If you are male (check mark for me), between the ages of 20 and 50 (another check mark), work a lot with computers (check!) and work as an attorney (check!) or airline pilot, you are at risk for CSR. Stress is believed to be a causative factor, as is having to read computer screens or instrument panels (airline pilots).

The retinal specialist I saw told me the connection with autoimmune disease is not really understood at this time. In fact not a lot is known about the cause of CSR.

I was also told that my right eyeball is small and the fluid drainage canal is small, and if the pressure in my eye changes the CSR could get much worse. Fortunately the pressure is normal. I don't even know what might cause eye pressure to change.

You need to have some testing done, a good basic eye exam is a start. If they suspect a retinal issue they will send you to a retinal specialist and you may have that dye test done.

I had inflammation in my retina (right eye only) shortly after my colectomy. (Etiology was officially "undetermined," but thought to be related to the colitis). Symptoms were a constant, bright flashy spot (I would describe it like the spot you see after a camera flash) in my field of vision. I had a visual field test, which did reveal a deficit, as well as numerous retinal imaging studies. I was followed by a ophthamologist weekly and the inflammation monitored. There was no specific treatment, except drops for dry eyes and continuing with the prednisone on a tapering dose, which I was already doing for the UC anyway. Gradually, over a period of about 2 months, the inflammation subsided and eventually went down entirely with no permanent effect on my vision. I do have floaters and occasionally see "flashes" in my right eye but I've had no recurrence of the inflammation. I do continue to have regular follow ups, at first every 6 month and now annually.

I should mention that the symptoms appeared about a month after my colectomy, actually just a few days after I had gotten out of the hospital.

I had Uveitis two years ago, an autoimmune deficiency, leaving me with a partial cataract in one eye. I was told it could return any time, many times, or never. One never knows, but your eye is completely blurry and the eyeball hurts like hell. It as first diagnosed and I was given Vicodin . . . didn't even touch the pain. The Ophthamologist knew right away what it was when I said I had UC. Hope you never get it. Otherwise, I just have dry eye, among other things.

Sally

Does anyone know if my retinal dystrophy is related to IBD?

I did have an eye exam the day after it started and they came back with the very unsatisfying "aging, sneezing very hard from allergies" and I am just not buying it....saw a "retinal specialist" but I am limited as to who I can see, because I am on Medicaid and , in Ohio, we are not allowed to pay cash or we lose our coverage...I may go to Cleveland Clinic to see an opthalmologist (it is where I had my pouch done)but, since I never get any answers as to my varied symptoms that make any sense to me, I suspect some kind of inflammation due to the pouch and colectomy....thanks so much for all the answers, I really do appreciate it...Oh, I have had my pouch almost 7 yrs, I think, because of a megacolon (from a botched hemorrhoidectomy) I never had Crohn's or UC.I only say that because I get alot of "it's a symptom of the bowel disease you already had" from drs. who assume I had to have had one of those....

And, yes, I have had a great worsening of my vision, even with very thick glasses (I did not wear glasses before) Yes, this could be age, but,I have two sisters who are within 2 yrs of my age, and they dont have these problems (they do have severe constipation, as I did)I don't have the flashes anymore (just occasionally) but there is still a huge floater and I like what I can best describe as a "smudge spot" on the inner corner of my eye--it looks like when you accidentally get something greasy in your eye when cooking or something...dont know how else to describe it. I have just given up reading, which is awful for me, as, since I've had my pouch, I have not been able to do alot of things I did before, (scuba, I have done once; horseback riding , no way, etc) so I started reading as much as I could stand that I hadn't bothered to read in college "War and Peace", "Wealth of Nations", "Das Capital"--and now that is taken from me...what next...sorry, just feeling bad

I have floaters too... May or may not be related. I'm a nurse and work at an Opthalmic eye center so I get checked regularly. I thankfully have had no other issues, early cataracts from steroids, etc. just some floaters. Hopefully your situation is "normal" and nothing to worry abou

Alex

Had my annual eye exam today and they found CSR in my right eye again. My eye doc (who is a new Doctor since my last exam) said he does believe there is an autoimmune disorder component to CSR. The good news is no glaucoma, cataracts or macular degeneration. My left eye is now 20/50 without glasses but can be corrected to 20/20. The right eye, which he called a "lazy eye" also ridden with CSR, is 20/100 correctable to 20/40.

New prescription was ordered on the progressive bifocal lenses due to the age related deterioration of the left eye.

I've had floaters my whole life and bright dots of light (stars) when stressed. Both have been with me since I was a kid. I used to call them my angels & stars.
Now I just figure that they are related to the constant stressing that goes with my pouch life. Often when straining to empty my pouch I see my stars and angels shine 'brighter'.
Never spoke to a doctor about it, figured it is just one more parculiarity.
I have 'normal' worsening vision, wear progressives when needed (most of the time) and my left eye takes longer to adapt than my right to the double lenses.
Maybe this is the only 'normal' part of me!
Sharon

Hi - I'm replying on this thread only because that for better or worse it seems to be THE ophthalmic center on the J-Pouch website.  LOL

 

I was diagnosed with Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) 1.5 years ago. I've been trying to find the AMD equivalent of the J-Pouch Group — ie. an active forum where all aspects of the disease are discussed. I've found forums but they're not very active and most often linked to a particular product used in treatment.

 

To add something to this thread. I have suspected that my developing AMD may have been, at least, hastened by straining to empty my pouch. I've had my pouch 10+ years, but have only felt the need to really push for the past few years. Unless I empty the pouch (at least so far as I can tell) I'm back on the john within 30 mins or so with a strong feeling of "needing to go." My ophthalmologist didn't there would be a link.

 

So, does anyone know where all the AMD people hang out and exchange information?

I did some looking and you are right. Not much out there. Have you checked out the links here?

 http://www.mdsupport.org/support/

 

I didn't look at all the links, but it seems to have more than any other site I saw.

 

Jan

I have had the J-pouch for 5 years.  I developed a problem in my right eye a few months ago; inflammation and fluid filled cysts on the macula.  It makes everything look very distorted.  I have had steroid drops and three weeks ago, a steroid injection in the eye.  I have some improvement since then.  I was diagnosed with dry macular degeneration when I was emaciated from UC.  I always wondered if the eye problems were from the UC as I learned the eye is an area that requires much nourishment/vitamins and I was practically malnourished for years due to UC.  Just a guess.

 

 

Hi Daf — That's an interesting line of thought. I also had long periods of extreme anemia, electrolyte shortages and the like. It's a pretty good bet that such "malnourishment" could have caused, or initiated, damage to my retinas.

 

I wonder if anyone has ever looked at increased "down the road" appearance of medical conditions in the UC community.

 

Jim