Back from Michigan. What a trip.We were going to spend 2 days and we spent 4. Dorothy is so right "there is no place like home."
Dr. Debbie is busy doing what she does best, Helping People. I felt very welcomed by everyone and Dr. Debbie refereed to me as "The Author".
I couldn't help but look back on the first time I went to her office and spent 8 hours having my eyes checked. I am a completely different person from that person that walked into her office. I am more sure of myself and certainly more out going. Most of my vanity that I felt has gone. I just feel like one of those normal people. Thank you prism glasses.
My exam only took about 2 hours this time. We were happy to find out that my prisms were holding and no new prisms were needed. This was a big breakthrough because eye doctors will tell you that once you put prisms in glasses more and more prisms will be needed. We found this is not the case.
Also we found out that a girl that I had met on the net and sent to Dr. Debbie had the same amount of correction as me. Is it possible that all agoraphobics need the same amount of correction? New tests are being put into use there all the time.
The place is a bee hive of activity. You would never believe this is a eye glass place. There is hot and cold water machine. Next to that is tea of every assortment. Also Apple Juice that you can put hot water into. All kind of energy bars and goodies to eat. That kind of tips you off that your appointment might run a while. It is quite an adventure. You should try it.
You know what the interesting part of this visit? Everyone in the office talked about Agoraphobia like they had it. They understood all the symptoms and one office worker had a daughter who was house bound and room bound. She had prisms put into her glasses and now she has a job. It gives you a good feeling to know that someone is out there trying to help people like us.
Another interesting thing was when Dr. Debbie and her husband Dr Mark Rosner told me this story. They went to an Agoraphobia support group in Michigan and presented the group with the questioner they use on their web site. It lists all the symptoms of Hyperphoria. Out of 20 people about 18 had all the symptoms! I asked them if anyone made an appointment to have their eyes checked.
No One!!! I have run into this same problem in support groups and even with my own friends.
I would have tried anything went to any lengths to get rid of my symptoms. Has our world been so conditioned that they can't accept any new concept except the one they have been fed by the medical community! How sad could this be.
Anyway what about my neck pain. Well it is my computer that is doing all the damage! Do you think that because I am on it ten hours a day could be the problem? Not only that but I have been doing that with bifocal glasses. So in essence what I am doing is bobbing my head up and down ten hours a day. Its almost like banging your head against the wall that long. What was I thinking!
So the answer is computer glasses. I was fitted for a pair of computer glass that didn't have a bifocal in them but my prisms were put in them so that I didn't loose any correction.
The minute I put them on I could feel the difference. I have had them 3 days and already the pain has let up. It took over a year for my neck to get like this so it won't be an over night thing but it isn't getting any worse and I can already feel improvement.
I hope you enjoyed the resolve of my neck problem, Life is really just problems that need a solution.
The solution for your agoraphobia is in your eyes. Really it is!
Dr. Debbie is busy doing what she does best, Helping People. I felt very welcomed by everyone and Dr. Debbie refereed to me as "The Author".
I couldn't help but look back on the first time I went to her office and spent 8 hours having my eyes checked. I am a completely different person from that person that walked into her office. I am more sure of myself and certainly more out going. Most of my vanity that I felt has gone. I just feel like one of those normal people. Thank you prism glasses.
My exam only took about 2 hours this time. We were happy to find out that my prisms were holding and no new prisms were needed. This was a big breakthrough because eye doctors will tell you that once you put prisms in glasses more and more prisms will be needed. We found this is not the case.
Also we found out that a girl that I had met on the net and sent to Dr. Debbie had the same amount of correction as me. Is it possible that all agoraphobics need the same amount of correction? New tests are being put into use there all the time.
The place is a bee hive of activity. You would never believe this is a eye glass place. There is hot and cold water machine. Next to that is tea of every assortment. Also Apple Juice that you can put hot water into. All kind of energy bars and goodies to eat. That kind of tips you off that your appointment might run a while. It is quite an adventure. You should try it.
You know what the interesting part of this visit? Everyone in the office talked about Agoraphobia like they had it. They understood all the symptoms and one office worker had a daughter who was house bound and room bound. She had prisms put into her glasses and now she has a job. It gives you a good feeling to know that someone is out there trying to help people like us.
Another interesting thing was when Dr. Debbie and her husband Dr Mark Rosner told me this story. They went to an Agoraphobia support group in Michigan and presented the group with the questioner they use on their web site. It lists all the symptoms of Hyperphoria. Out of 20 people about 18 had all the symptoms! I asked them if anyone made an appointment to have their eyes checked.
No One!!! I have run into this same problem in support groups and even with my own friends.
I would have tried anything went to any lengths to get rid of my symptoms. Has our world been so conditioned that they can't accept any new concept except the one they have been fed by the medical community! How sad could this be.
Anyway what about my neck pain. Well it is my computer that is doing all the damage! Do you think that because I am on it ten hours a day could be the problem? Not only that but I have been doing that with bifocal glasses. So in essence what I am doing is bobbing my head up and down ten hours a day. Its almost like banging your head against the wall that long. What was I thinking!
So the answer is computer glasses. I was fitted for a pair of computer glass that didn't have a bifocal in them but my prisms were put in them so that I didn't loose any correction.
The minute I put them on I could feel the difference. I have had them 3 days and already the pain has let up. It took over a year for my neck to get like this so it won't be an over night thing but it isn't getting any worse and I can already feel improvement.
I hope you enjoyed the resolve of my neck problem, Life is really just problems that need a solution.
The solution for your agoraphobia is in your eyes. Really it is!
Hi Yolanda, I read your book, and was blown away that agoraphobia could be caused by this eye disorder! I think I've had panic disorder/agoraphobia most of my life, I'm 54 now. I did get better for a few years, but its back and worse than ever. It is very depressing.
ReplyDeleteSo, would you think any opthamologist would be able to find out if I had this? My husband has a very good one, he had cataract surgery last month, and I could possibly see him. We are Seattle. I'm still a little in shock that all this panic I've had could be caused by my eyes!
Thank you Shelly for your comment. Congratulations for having an open mind. It is so hard to try and convince people that there is a simple answer. I am so sorry to say that there are only two people in the country doing this type of correction at this time. Go to www.vsofm.com and take the online questioner and someone from her office will call you. They are trying to find optometrists who would be willing to learn this but so far there has been no one interested. Doctors want to believe what they are taught in school and that's all. Her office would like to see a doctor knowledgeable in this technique in every state. There office is doing everything possible to see this happen.
ReplyDeleteBut to get your old life back is worth every bit of effort you put into this. You are still young you have a lot more living to do.If you read "MY Story" you can see I am flying and doing all kinds of things I couldn't do before.
A little tip if you are having head spins or dizziness try putting one hand over your eye and see if that makes you calmer. Let me know how your doing and how I can help you.
The best to you, Yolanda
Hi Yolanda, I did go to the site, and answered frequently on most questions (with the exception of headaches, eye pain) It would be useless to send, as I know we couldn't go there. My husband is 66 still working, I couldn't go there even if they took our insurance. But my husband has an appt with his opthamologist next week, and he is going to bring this up to him. I did read your book, and SO much is just like me! I did drive, I don't anymore, even when you talked about the phone, and making calls, that is ME. Going to the supermarket and big stores, forget it, though I do with my husband, its sheer panic. And no one really understands this, my husband does I guess, and he is so good about everything. Of course I have joined online support groups. There is a private closed one on Facebook that I sort of participate in. I found your book, when I bought Claire Weeks book on my kindle, it was one of their suggestions! :) I am so glad you found the help! How long did it take with the prism glasses to get past this?
DeleteTake care
Shelly
Dear Shelly, so sorry you can't get to Michigan. It took about 3 years for all to resolve. It was a little at a time. I had to jot down in a journal anything that was a improvement from before or just different.
DeleteThey talk about desensitization but it will only work if you have the problem under control. After the prisms are put into your glasses you can then start desensitization. In my case my husband who has been retired for 30 years and I go everywhere. So I just keep putting up with symptoms until they were gone. Not that they won't pop up if I turn my head too fast or going too fast and things are whizzing past me but for the most part I have at least 85% resolve of symptoms. Remember this is a psychical disability and prisms won't take the place of your eyes. I am sure you can see this problem somewhere in your family. Also there are people with head injury's that have this.
It would be great if your eye doctor would be willing to train with Vision Specialists in Michigan. He could increase his business if that would be an incentive.
The doctors in Michigan would like to see one doctor in each state.
Maybe if your doctor was willing he could ask help from Dr. Debbie and Vision Specialists for how to test for this condition.
That is the major problem most of the agoraphobic people can't get to where the doctor is. Remember I am out here fighting for us one person at a time.
If there is anyone you know or maybe on face book you could give them my blog and maybe more could be helped. My heart goes out to all of them.
Please keep me up to date with how you are doing.
I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Sincerely, Yolanda