Hello all,
This is my first time posting on here but not my first bout with anxiety. I am a 31 year old male and have been having severe depression and anxiety.
It all started when I viewed the solar eclipse with out the proper eyewear, I only looked a few times for a few seconds at a time. Not thinking anything of it I started to get people telling me I shouldn't have done that and it could have damaged my eyes.
It sent me into a quick panic in which I lost control loss of breath cold sweats etc. I have a 5 Year old and a new baby on the way and I cant get out of my head that I am going to go blind or did some permanent damage that will effect me being a father.
I scheduled an appointmet with an Opthomoligist the next day to get checked out, the results came back fine I even have 20/20 vision and never needed glasses in my life.
Although this should have made me calm down...it didnt. I still feel like my vision is just not quite right.
A few days later I noticed a floater in my left eye and dropped back into a depressed state and even after looking online and seeing that floaters are a pretty common thing i cant help but think I dd severe damage and am going to go blind.
I am having trouble doing anything which is extremely difficult when at work concentrating or even staying a whole day.
Before this started I was on 10MG of Lexapro and bumped it up to 20mg to see if it will get me out of this funk. I am also taking a Xanax in the morning which doesn't seem to really help and I hate that I have to rely on it.
Anyway I just wanted to get this out there and see if anyone has had a similar story or can offer any assistance.
Thank you,
Hi Kevin, you did the right thing getting your eyes checked out although viewing the sun as you did can be dangerous it's obviously had no effect on your eyesight as everything is in tip top condition so you haven't done any damage and will not go blind because of it. Your symptoms are anxiety related and nothing else.
Your eyesight is fine so try not to keep ruminating over it.
Neil
Hi Kevin you seem to have developed health anxiety which needs to be addressed.l would advise you go back to your doctor and ask to be referred to a therapist as medication is a tool however you need help with your anxiety.
Kevin
Looking at the sun at any time is not a good idea, you need to protect your eyes with a good quality smoked glass or strong sun glasses.
However you have had your eyes checked and all shown up as fine, in fact your results are 20/20, I wish mine were.
I have been around now 67 years and sometimes I have looked up at the sun without eye protection and I have no real problems associated with above. I would however advise using smoked glass next time.
You could next time look for a keen astrominer with a telescope He will show you the reflection of the eclipse.
Please stop worrying
BOB
Thank you all for taking the time to give me advice, I actually got over the eye issue but now I am stressing and getting panic attacks about completely different issue, the fear of not getting better, Like I said I have been taking 10mg of Lexapro for years and bumped it up to 30md 5 days ago, I am fearful that I am never going to get out of this funk and be stuck dreading the minutes hours and days. When I should be super happy with a beautiful wife 5 year old and baby on the way.
I believe its because I am having a hard time seeing a Psychiatrist they are all booked for weeks, I am going to see a therapist but am not optimistic it will work.