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Please Note: Due to volume considerations, not all questions can be answered. Questions most likely to be answered will be those of general interest to a broad group of visitors to this forum. Questions pertaining to a specific case; requests for diagnosis, medical advice, or second opinion; or requests for opinions about untested alternative therapies will generally not be answered.

Ask the Experts about Opportunistic Infections

 

CMV to Blindness
May 3, 2000

Hi Dr. Feinberg, I have 2 quick questions for you. If a person has floaters and those floaters are a result of CMV and the person is NOT currently being treated, is there a "timetable" as to when one would go blind? Secondly, is it not true that CMV winds up affecting BOTH eyes? Thanks in advance for your time.

Response from Dr. Feinberg

Floaters are just a sign of inflammation inside the eye. The frequency of seeing floaters is not necessarily tied to how quickly you can lose vision. CMV retinitis does not have to spread to the other eye -- the key to preventing this is to be treated for active disease and then to stay on what is called "maintenance" therapy, which keeps the CMV in check.

If you or someone you know has low T cells and floaters, please get to an experienced eye doctor ASAP!



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