The link between breast cancer and vision loss

I'm not having a good day because I am experiencing severe eyesight problems. When I was in primary school, my teacher realised that I struggled to see on the whiteboard. As a result, I started wearing spectacles for nearsightedness before I turned 8 years old.

My eyesight deteriorated over the years. Two years ago, I started wearing multifocal contact lenses to help me read better. Soon after, I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and the chemotherapy dried my eyes out. So much so that I couldn't wear my contact lenses any longer. I found it difficult to read but coped.

But then, over the last few months, my eyesight started getting worse. When I was in the hospital in May last year; I had to take off my spectacles and put my nose against the form I had to complete ahead of surgery to read the questions. But I thought that was just me getting older. The same thing happened with my most recent surgery last month, and again I wrote it off to ageing eyes. When I had my first client meeting this year, I couldn't read the words I wrote down as I took notes in my notebook. This morning, the letters on my computer screen are even more blurry than before. 

You know that when you have pinkeyes and your eyes discharge a gooey fluid that clings to your eyeballs? When you open your eyes, everything is blurred? That's how I can describe my eyesight.

The hormone-blocking drug that I take (Tamoxifen) is known to induce ocular toxicity. It is, however, rare and affects less than 12% of breast cancer patients.

As someone who earns a living by writing articles, and working on the computer, poor eyesight is a serious concern. I have an appointment to see the optometrist on Monday, 25 January. I can then confirm whether my eyes are ageing naturally or whether the drug is causing vision problems.

It is tough to remain positive when even your general practitioner laughs at you when you put your smartphone against your nose to read the letters on the screen. I know he meant it as a joke, but that made me realise my vision problems are real and not a figment of my imagination. I feel lost and alone because the world around me is a blur, and my arms are too short for reading a book.

[Update] After I consulted with the optometrist, I am relieved to inform you that it is only age-related vision loss.