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This week I went for a routine eye test.

I took with me, the glasses made up for me last year by a different optician
and also a pair of glasses made up 3 years 9 months ago, together with the
prescription from the tests at those times.

After the test, the optician expressed some puzzlement in that the oldest
prescription and glasses showed a requirement for a prism to correct a
muscle imbalance in one eye.  However, the present test and the one of last
year showed no such problem and no requirement for a prism.

On discussing it further, we realised that the test showing the muscle
imbalance and prism requirement, was conducted just before the time I
started suffering my worst PD symptoms and just before diagnosis and
commencement of PD drugs.  She therefore concluded the the problem had been
caused by the PD and corrected by the drug treatment.

It occurs to me that this muscle imbalance may well re-appear when in an
"off" state, but as I would expect my glasses to be used more when "on"
(driving etc), the glasses without the prism would be more appropriate.

I have now made a point to ensure eye tests are arranged for a time I know I
should be "on".

A further thought is that if one could trace eye test results back far
enough looking for such prism requirements, would it be one way to pinpoint
roughly when the PD first started - before the main symptoms showed a problem?

For example, I have traced my eye test records back and ended up with:

18/5/93.  No prism required.
6/10/93   Prism required.
Nov 93    PD Symptoms observed.
Dec 93    PD Diagnosed - started drugs.
1/3/95    No prism required.
30/6/97   No prism required.

It may not be reliable by itself, but as an extra clue?

Ernie Peters <[log in to unmask]>