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Eye Floaters and blurry sight-cobwebs?


[Ri...]

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Has anyone experienced "eye floaters, or specks and cobwebs" in either eye [or both) while tapering???

Yesterday I starting seeing what I would describe as broken cobwebs and bubble floaters in my right eye out of the blue? This is very concerning to me as something more serious than a Benzo tapering/withdrawal SX. Vision is slightly blurred in the right eye also.

I had a full eye exam/test a year ago and everything was normal other than slight farsightedness [i use standard reading glasses at times.]

I'm going to give it a day or 2 to see if they disappear, or unfortunately make ANOTHER doctors appointment to have my eyes checked for a different condition of "eye floaters/specks" when looking at anything.

ANYONE HAVE FLOATERS as a SX from Benzos and tapering is my main question? Thank you for any input!

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Please see a doctor right away about this symptom. Regardless of what anyone else says, this is not a "normal withdrawal symptom". It may commonly occur during withdrawal, but it is not a withdrawal symptom. The bubbles and cobwebs are pieces of the vitreous inside your eye which have come loose from the retina and are floating into your line of sight. The vitreous can deteriorate with age, but a sudden increase in floaters suggests vitreous detachment. This can sometimes be harmless, but because the vitreous lays over the retina, a vitreous detachment can sometimes precede a retinal detachment, and that is something not worth risking. Please call and schedule a retinal exam with an optometrist or ophthalmologist right away.
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Please see a doctor right away about this symptom. Regardless of what anyone else says, this is not a "normal withdrawal symptom". It may commonly occur during withdrawal, but it is not a withdrawal symptom. The bubbles and cobwebs are pieces of the vitreous inside your eye which have come loose from the retina and are floating into your line of sight. The vitreous can deteriorate with age, but a sudden increase in floaters suggests vitreous detachment. This can sometimes be harmless, but because the vitreous lays over the retina, a vitreous detachment can sometimes precede a retinal detachment, and that is something not worth risking. Please call and schedule a retinal exam with an optometrist or ophthalmologist right away.

Thank you and I agree about seeing the an eye doctor asap!

Just add this to my other weird and random issues this last year of declining health related to all parts of my body and brain!

I've read they can come and go, sometimes lasting up to 6 months to forever! I also have Tinnitus, so I wonder if there's a connection via my CNS? Add stress to more stress. I'm only 57 yrs young!!!

Slowly falling apart and going crazy...

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  I had eye floaters and flashing lights when I closed my eyes and turned my eyes left or right after a day doing yardwork in the heat [110 degrees - it gets hot in phoenix but winters sure are beautiful!]  I went to the eye doc and he said it was nothing serious. The symptoms went away after a couple weeks. This all happened few years ago unrelated to the benzos and didn't come back even during the Hideous Withdrawal Affair. Its always a good idea to see the Dr. anyway.
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[63...]

[...] it actually is extremely common in WD. No need to panic.

 

Riley, I understand your worry and frustration. Like you, I've felt I'm falling apart so many times during this process... My floaters were so bad I could not see properly for a while, especially when looking up at the sky - just a greyish blur. The same happened during AD withdrawal.

 

To reassure you: I agree with T1D. A doctor of Chinese Medicine told me the floaters usually indicate mild liver stress - common in psych-med withdrawal, as the body tries to detoxify.

 

I used a few herbs to support my liver, just for protection. All the floaters disappeared. And tinnitus is getting less and less as my body heals. Wishing you well, Riley.

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I ve got a lot of eye floaters once I go through withrawal seeing a doctor is a good idea but floaters is a common symptoms of withrawal along with other eye problems cause benzo effects on muscles and it takes a long time to resolve
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Riley, have you been in to see a doctor yet?

 

Please, anyone reading this, if you notice an increase in floaters, this is cause for a visit with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Please, please do not assume this is harmless or a withdrawal symptom. The ONLY possible cause for floaters is age related vitreous degeneration or damage to the vitreous via trauma to the retina. Floaters are in no way connected to issues with the focusing muscles. One new small floater can be ignored, but a large one, or many new small ones, IS always cause for a doctor's visit. Period.

 

Please guys, please stop telling people that a medically significant symptom is nothing to worry about. If one of these people ends up with a detachment and permanent vision loss, that will be on you. Allow doctors to do the diagnosing. Thank you.

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Riley, have you been in to see a doctor yet?

 

Please, anyone reading this, if you notice an increase in floaters, this is cause for a visit with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Please, please do not assume this is harmless or a withdrawal symptom. The ONLY possible cause for floaters is age related vitreous degeneration or damage to the vitreous via trauma to the retina. Floaters are in no way connected to issues with the focusing muscles. One new small floater can be ignored, but a large one, or many new small ones, IS always cause for a doctor's visit. Period.

 

Please guys, please stop telling people that a medically significant symptom is nothing to worry about. If one of these people ends up with a detachment and permanent vision loss, that will be on you. Allow doctors to do the diagnosing. Thank you.

 

 

Ok ok

I have health anxiety

I will go to doctor too since you are saying it’s important

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Sure, see a dr, but it actually is extremely common in WD. No need to panic.

 

Update: Saw the eye doctor and he said normal with aging and the retina is not detached, just the visceral gel starts breaking down and falling back into your eyeball. It totally freaked me out and while it's less noticeable, they are still there and my right eye is more blurry and sensitive to light now. I've never read anywhere this is a SX of benzo W/D if T1D cares to post where he read this as a SX of benzo use-WD?

I hate blaming EVERYTHING on benzo dependence and W/D. Apparently a lot people get floaters randomly in there lifetime that are permanent, or disappear overtime.

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Yep, totally normal 9 times out of 10. Just because people happen to experience it in withdrawal doesn't make it a symptom of withdrawal. I have worked in eye care for over 10 years. It can only happen due to deterioration of the vitreous or damage to the retina, period.
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Yep, totally normal 9 times out of 10. Just because people happen to experience it in withdrawal doesn't make it a symptom of withdrawal. I have worked in eye care for over 10 years. It can only happen due to deterioration of the vitreous or damage to the retina, period.

 

Thanks, that's what I rationalized too. While not debilitating, it just adds to the stress with all the other "out of normal" mental issues Benzo use has created this past year. God I pray to feel 75% normal again!

I just can't seem to "let go" and accept during this time of hell.

Meditation, acupuncture, therapy, deep tissue messages don't help one bit. I just can't break free of the constant stress and anxiety this is having on my entire life! Unemployed, limited health coverage now and finances being slowly drained...

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Here's a site... scroll down.  He healed at 16 months give or take.  I believe his eyes, like mine all of a sudden exploded with floaters.  I've talked with many people on these boards for close to 2 years and all of my friends on here have vision problems, including floaters.  Mine started in month 7.. boom, all of a sudden a thousand floaters in my eyes.  I'm a type 1 diabetic and go to Mass Eye and Ear in Boston... arguably the best in the world.. I brought this up to them and they concurred. 

 

My floaters have gotten much better btw.  I have to really look for them in order to see them now.... I'm 20 months out. 

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I totally understand. Riley, are you tapering? What are your current doses? Can't tell from your sig. :)

 

Currently tapering from K to Valium, which isn't agreeing with me at all!

The Valium makes me tired, lethargic and more depression it seems.

Started in early October and now going into mid February I still feel like crap. Terrible agroephobia, constantly cold and shivering, high anxiety and worsening depression from being unemployed and watching my finances being drained. Unemployment benefits just ran out. Terrified to go back to work somewhere as my brain has shut down and motivation is ZERO. It's crazy cause I've always worked and went on interviews, but my mind wont allow me to leave the house! Terrified of social interaction in the slightest! Body aches, paranoid of the slightest problems. I think I need to stay on K longer for my afternoon dose of .25 and HOPE I can function semi-normal to get back to working

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Wow, Riley, I am sorry to hear that. It seems like that happens to some people switching to Valium for some reason. Is there a reason you couldn't taper from klonopin?

 

You might want to add those details to your signature. It seems important for people to know so we can better support you. :)

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  • 2 weeks later...
Two years ago, my eye doctor diagnosed the "black cobwebs" moving across my eye vision, as floaters also. Yes, they were strange, and aggravating. Not recommending this advice to anyone, but while researching home remedies for this issue online, a few sites mentioned eating beets as a potential remedy. So I ate beets, canned, or fresh, twice a week. A few weeks later the "floater's" disappeared. They seem to return if I forget to eat some beets for several weeks. Now I eat a can of beets a few times a month, and no "black spider webs", or floater's to be seen. This is not medical advice. Just sharing what has assisted me.
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  • 1 month later...
Getting used to the small floaters as it now its the least of my health stressors. Still tapering on Valium from K. Down to 10MG in am and 10 MG at bedtime. The depression and non-motivaion is debilitating though...
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  • 3 weeks later...

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