[sdiy] [OT] Going Blind....

[James Patchell]

As some of you may remember, last year I lost the use of my right 
eye...well, last month I lost the use of my left eye.  While I am not 
totally blind, life has certainly changed.  I have been attending the 
Braille Institute now for about a week.  Having Extremely limited vision 
has certainly changed some of my attitudes.  

 But unlike last year, at least it looks like we are homing in on a 
possible cause for the loss of my vision.  Sad to say, but the damage is 
permanent.  But maybe I can save someone else from this missery.  It 
would seem that my problem was created by a bad side effect of a 
perscription drug.  I was on a Proton Pump Inhibitor. Common brand names 
here in the US are Protonix, Prirolsec, Acifex, Nexium (the little 
purple pill).  These drugs cause a rare condition known as anterior 
ischemic optic neuropathy.  If you are taking one of these drugs, and 
you sense anything funning going on with eyes, stop taking it.  Once the 
event takes place (it is like a stroke), there is no going back.....

Sorry for the OT message....but your eyesight is important.

-Jim