Last month I was diagnosed with an AVM in my left temporal lobe. The doctor wanted me to see a neuro opthamologist and he told me I had no peripheral vision in my right eye. At first he thought it was glaucoma but after going through with the neuroradiologist he said it was due to my AVM's location. I never really noticed but he told me I basically grew up like this and this was normal to me. I had eye exams every year or 2 years, but no doctor noticed? It's kind of hard to believe that. I suffered a concussion that's how I found my AVM incidentally, could this have played a role? Just wanted to see if anyone else had vision problems before any procedure was done to their AVM. Thanks.
Hi Will,
My peripheal vision is ok but, I do get blurry and fuzzy vision at times. I also get vertigo a lot too from my avm. I do find it odd that it wasn't discovered in your previouse eye exams. I would be questioning the drs. on that.
You didn't mention where your concussion was at or how bad it was (?). It wouldn't surprise me if that could have something to do with it. I had a concussion once too. On the back of my head, on the left side. My fracture was about 1 1/2 inches long. It took me a whole year to fully recover from it. They say, even some of the mild concussions can take 6 months to heal. That's what my neurosurgeon Dr. told me anyway. I'm sure the time line varies with each case. I would definitly "probe" my dr. on that.
Did the neuro-opthomologist mention if you have any swelling in your brain? They are the ones who can see it
Ben.
I regularly lose my peripheral vision, I have been to the hospital about it numerous times and the outcome is always the same "the avm is stealing bloodflow from yr eyes" It generally comes back within the day but I have lost it for up to a week. I also get black spots or fuzzy vision. I also wonder why the they never picked up your problem earlier.
Hi Will....My AVM was in my left temporal lobe also. I had perfect vision before my brain bleed, but now I have no peripheral vision in my right eye. Did you have a brain bleed?
Will, Eye doctors have been treating me for years for "Glaucoma". I've never had high tension in my eyes only a swelled or enlarged optic nerve. I just found out a few weeks ago that I have a DAVF and I know that it can cause the optic nerve to swell. I don't know yet but intend to find out if perhaps this is what is causing it to look like I have Glaucoma - it would be great if fixing this DAVF would also fix the optic nerve condition. If in fact they even decide to treat it.
Best wishes,
Jenny
@Ben, my concussion was mild, no fractures but it was on the back of my head. Other than some minor headache and that foggy feeling for a couple of weeks I was fine.
@JillNZ, when you say black spots what do you mean? My whole life I've had these black/white swirls at the farthest my peripheral vision could go.
@Louisa, no it did not bleed according to the CAT/MRI scans, which was one week post concussion. One of the neuro radiologists said I could have possibly suffered a intravertabal hemmorage but the blood could have washed away. Did the doctor say your vision would come back?
@Ngawildflower, do you know what type of doctor you would be visiting? The neuro opt told me even if I fix my AVM my vision may not come back.
Will, hello there ! My AVM was also accidentally found during a carotid artery xray. This occurred almost 7 years ago when I was 63. I had no symptoms then. And still have had none. My annual MRI's show no change, which is what my neurosurgeon and I want. The only treatment I was offered was gamma knife, which I elected to reject, per the " If it's not broken, don't fix it" theory PLUS MY AGE !!! You didn't state your age ! But may I comment if you've lived all your life without peripheal vision, you obviously have done well and hopefully will continue to whatever course your doctors choose to advise and whatever you accept. I hope you will find this message encouraging. Sally !
My daughter has her avm in her left temporal as well, and when she was 5 Dr. Gave her glasses but by the following yr she was fine now she’s 9 and right before her bday she got glasses again and prescription is worse and she depends on them all day. Idk if she’s older that she’s able to tell the difference of wearing her glasses or if her eyesight is just a big difference that she knows she has to wear the glasses. Tomm. she has an mri and was going to bring up her vision to see if its related but we just found out about her avn in Feb. and it has not ruptured or anything so I’m new to all this info.
My wife and I were discussing this yesterday as we were driving into town. Normally when my body is under duress, be it allergies, sickness, or stress, my right eye loses peripheral vision. I asked my doctor about it and they agreed that it is a normal symptom of brain trauma post surgery. Has your avm been obliterated or do you still have it?
I lost my peripheral vision to the right side approximately 20 years ago after a series of embolizations. At first I didn’t realize that when
one loses his peripheral vision it is a loss in both eyes. So, I have lost the right vision field on my left eye as well as my right. After all these years I have learned to live with it but I never mastered the loss.
Will, I am seeing a Neurosurgeon. Angiogram to be performed Wednesday.
I didn't have any peripheral vision problems prior to my bleed, embolizations and craniotomy. However, I did lose a good portion of my peripheral vision "after" my brain surgery. I have learned to live with it and have automatically compensated for it while driving by turning my head a lot...
My husband had a brain bleed one year ago tomorrow from an AVM in his occipital lobe, he has lost 80%; of his peripheral vision, we are still hoping some of it will come back, he had embolization surgery in May 2011. This is the biggest problem for him ---his sight, even though he suffers from short term memory issues and aphasia. When asked what happened to him or does he feel the same after the bleed, his vision is what he always mentions. He had to surrender his driver license, he is 51yrs old and this has been so hard for him. Lisa
Will, I just wrote you and it disappeared while I was finishing. I had an AVM 53 years ago, which the bleed and surgery resulted in homonymous cchemianopia meaning loss to the left from center in both eyes. Do not feel bad you were not aware. Lot’s of brain injured people are unaware. A neuro optometrist is who you need to see. The problem is called CVI because it is a brain problem, not an ocular problem. I am legally blind, and to this day not a lot of eye doctors kmow anything about what it is. A cortical vision deal. Mine never got better, and I have spinning bright lights in my good vision now. I had no rehab until 40 years after the event. They teach you how to scan plus a lot of help is available. Go to a site called hemianopia.com. A lot of information is there, good luck,
and when someone says you lost your peripheral vision, know it is much more than that. There are perception problems, spatial problems, and I still walk into walls.
Beans
My daughter lost her peripheral vision also due to a temporal lobe AVM which bled. She experienced the loss immediately after the bleed. Over the past 3 years her vision has improved slightly but it's still an issue. Finds it difficult to play sports and still doesn't have her license, in part because she knows she isn't seeing what she should. We are planning to ask our state disability office to fund driver's ed for her.
Befor I was diagnosed with anything, I had great vision. One day I noticed my Peripheal vision fading in and out on one side. my eye Dr told me it was an "ocular migraine". A few months later my AVM ruptured. Now I have permenant loss on my left field of vision and down low. I wish I would haave seen my physician instead of the eye Dr.
I have been without my left peripheral vision since my AVM was removed six years ago.The vision that is there is like a film is on it. I continue to see my the opthromagist yearly for a vision field test, for the past four years the have been no changes in my sight.It is just not there on the left side,healthy eye,no connection to my brain any more. I have learned to deal with mine. Driving,extra mirror helps on the outside mirror,other then that you must always know you must turn your head to check that side out or you will run into something.I speak from experience. When you are out anywhere alone you have to remember to take care you so have a problem that does not go away.
Hi Will, I had a ruptured AVM in 1985 and it was also located in the left temporal lobe. I have visual field defects from the AVM. My right eye has some blind spots meaning I do not see things in the upper or lower area of my right side. I have walked into things many of times because of the visual defect. It normally will stay the same but does not improve. That and weakness in my right hand is the only problems I have after the stroke so I've learned to deal with it. Take care.
i had a ruptured avm in 96. i have lost alot of my peripheral. my feild of veiw is top right. i don't have peripheral on the left or below eye level. i am neurologically weaker on my left side.
My wife had AVM in left temporal lobe. She lost her peripheral vision after she went through the surgery. Did you talk to your surgeon / neurologist about the after affects of the surgery ? What is the size of your AVM? Did the doc recommend you to go for a surgery?