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There are vision problems in PD.  Some may be caused by meds.  This is always
good as a first cause for blurred vision.  Given meds are not the sole cause
of blurred vision, than I would assume PD is the cause.
 
FIrst of all, vision is controlled by muscles.  PD slows muscle reaction.
 Two plus two and you have vision problems.  I get very tired reading.  I
assume this comes from having to move the eyes across the page over and over
again.  My wife is a writer of historic romance novels and I have yet to read
one.  (She has just released one under her name of JANE BONANDER).  I cannot
move my eyes back and forth that often without getting very tired.  I make
about three pages and I am sound asleep.
 
Secondly, eyes use dopamine.  It has been reported that there is a dopamine
deficiency in the eyes.  Thus the first point has a reason.  If one is OFF
meds while reading, sleepiness could be a reasonable result.
 
Thirdly, most patients who have had PD for a few years will talke about focus
problems.  Reading material will often go in and out of focus.  This is
frustrating when reading all the good materail on this service.  (It is also
why I would prefer that those of you who like to copy previous messages as
part of your response, would cease doing so.    If this were an Alzheimer's
service I could understand.)  I would not suggest one run over to the eye
doctor.  You will probably find there is no change in the eyes, or worse, the
eye doctor says you need 17 levels of focus.
 
FInally, our eyes are contrast sensitive in PD.  This says simply that some
of the sensitivity to black and white lines is now somewhat confused.  We may
not see all the lines of letters and think this is a form of blurring (of
which it is).
 
Thus eyes are affected by PD in many ways.  Discuss the problem first with
your PD physician to assure the meds are not the cause.  He may have a trick
or two to help the problem.
 
Regards,
Alan Bonander ([log in to unmask])
 
PS:  I am involved with Tom Riess in work on virtual visual cues in PD.  As a
result we are finding that our eyes can unlock the paths to akineasia,
festination, freezing and dyskinesia.  And that color can play a vital role
in this process.  That is another subject for another day.