and

[Guest guest]

, I have no usable vision on the left just shadows...I know the doctor's

hand is waving but cannot distinguish how many fingers. My right eye has near

perfect distance vision and minimal close...I use ZoomText on the computer and

will have to resort to something in the near future for reading books. I also

have what has been called crowding effect so reading a word or two at a time

helps. My vision also tilts to the left and soon after the ci surgery I lost

color perception...am I legally blind, I doubt it but it certainly sucks! It is

thought that this combined with the deafness contributes greatly to my balance

problems.

, your description of INTENDING to go one way and ending up somewhere else

points to vestibular problems and I do that also. I will walk and if I suddenly

stop or someone darts in front of me I am a bit jostled or unable to stand

still. I cannot stand completely still unless holding on to something or

leaning against something. Also the vestibular dysfunction has caused

oscillopsia where everything bounces as I walk...so I look ahead and the trees

bounce but that aspect has greatly improved.

As I mentioned previously, my surgeon had a long discussion about the balance

issues BEFORE surgery and I knew it was a possibility...had multiple tests done

to check vestib functioning and he was concerned that I would have a " couple of

rough days " and those soon turned to weeks and months. I have several friends

who immediately could walk straight to the hospital bathroom while I had a

family member leaning into my right side and forcing me straight for a week.

When we returned seven days later for suture removal walking in a special hall

at the balance center(two stripes in the carpet and you walk between them)

caused profuse sweating and vomiting. Luckily my surgeon was fast and jumped

out of the way as he was the one I was leaning against...guess I missed my

chance for payback!

I have several deaf friends and all have at least one ci and everyone one of

them walks a little unsteady. I guess all the years of being an orthopedic

nurse causes me to still notice gait...but in these friends it is almost

identical in everyone...I have even made this same observation in the ENT

waiting room and sure enough the people with this funny, kind of hesitant step

all have HA or ci...or are there to be fitted!

Debra