Eye Stroke
December 17, 2020
It was early in the evening as I sat on my couch and flipped on the television. My right eye was a little blurry, but I thought nothing of it.
This was nothing new. I’d experienced it many times before. It usually only lasted a few short minutes, then returned to normal. Only three times had it been of much concern.
Once while driving, it lasted for maybe half an hour. I closed the eye and pressed on. By the time I got home it was back to normal and soon forgotten.
Another time, back in Illinois, I was with my father and step-mother at a church ice cream social. I remember that my vision was so blurry I couldn’t make out the facial features of an old friend I was talking with who was standing directly in front of me. I faked my way through the conversation and a few minutes later, my vision returned to normal.
And the third time was while flying. I was the pilot flying as we were being vectored for a visual approach to Runway 22R in Wilmington, Ohio. The visibility was nearly unlimited, yet I couldn’t make out the runway. “Tell you what, Ed,” I said to the First Officer. “I’m not feeling my best right now. Why don’t you do the landing?”
We transferred control, and I assumed the role of the non-flying pilot. When it came time for the Before Landing checklist, I pretended to read it, but in reality I was reciting it from memory. Ed landed, and I had enough vision to taxi to the ramp. I went inside and called out sick for my outbound flight. And again, as always, my vision returned.
I didn’t want to make too big an issue of it. I didn’t want to lose my medical and thus my flying career. I certainly didn’t want to risk losing my driver’s license and with it all independence. Besides, these things usually coincided with stressful events. So if I could find a way to eliminate or at least manage the major stressors, it should be ok.
I did a little research online, and self-diagnosed that I was experiencing occular migraine headaches, although there was no pain associated with what was happening.
It would be ok, I told myself.
While sitting on my couch that night in 2020, I fell asleep watching TV. When I woke up thirty minutes later, I had NO vision in my right eye. Nothing.
I thought my eyelid had stuck shut during my sleep, so I went to the bathroom to splash some water on it. To my surprise, when I looked in the mirror, I saw both eyes were wide open.
Ok, this was different than the other times. But there was no need to panic. My vision would come back. It always had before. I saw no reason to think it wouldn’t now.
Except that it didn’t.
I waited. And waited. Still no return of my vision.
It was getting late, and I didn’t want to alarm my daughter or her family. But I was beginning to be concerned. Maybe I should go to the ER?
I hadn’t showered that day, so I decided I would shower first, then make a decision. If I was going to the ER, I didn’t want to smell bad.
Still no changes after the shower. It was time to admit something was wrong and get some medical attention. I had three options:
Drive myself to the ER. Maybe not such a good idea.
Call 911. I didn’t really want to make so much of a fuss.
Call my son-in-law, Ben. He lived just 2 blocks away with my daughter and their 4 kids. So that’s what I did.
Ben was at my door in no time, and drove me to the nearest hospital. When we got to the ER, I was surprised at how they brought me right in with top priority and acted as if this was a really big deal. I was really surprised when they were saying things to one another such as “possible stroke”. What were they talking about, possible stroke? I was not slurring my words. My face wasn’t drooping. I was fully functional except for being blind in one eye.
They kept me under close observation throught the night, did a lot of tests. Told me they suspected I’d had a retinal artery occlusion (RAO).
“What’s that?”
“The common term is ‘Eye Stroke’.”
The doctor went on to explain that meant I had a blockage in an artery that supplies blood to the my retina.
When the main artery to the retina is blocked, it's referred to as a central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO). As it turns out, this is the most severe form of RAO and most often results in complete blindness in the affected eye.
The room got quiet as I let that sink in.
Eye strokes are often caused by a blood clot breaking off from a larger plaque in one of my blood vessels or my heart. This clot in turn deprived my retina of oxygen, which quickly killed the retinal nerve cells that allowed me to see.
RAOs are most common in people with conditions that increase the risk of compromised blood vessels, such as: high blood pressure, diabetes, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, and blood disorders that affect clotting.
RAOs are considered to be medical emergencies, which explains why they rushed me right in at the ER and took it more seriously than I expected.
I later learned that I could have possibly reduced the damage by performing an eye massage, maybe could have helped by chewing on a couple aspirin to serve as blood thinners, (I think maybe especially when I first experienced the blurred vision) and by getting to the ER as soon as possible. Time is tissue when the retina is deprived of oxygen. And I waited way too long.
I thought they would tell me to take some aspirin and send me back home. But I ended up spending several days in the hospital. I convinced myself that my loss of vision was only temporary. I was Wayne Baker, after all. I would overcome it and within a short time my vision would be as good as ever.
During the course of the following weeks and months I saw a lot of specialists. Neurologists, Opthamologists, you name it, I had to see them. I gradually came to accept that my right eye was blind and unless there is some miracle cure that comes along soon, it always will be. I did regain a small amount of vision, but it is really nothing more than a little bit of light that only serves to blur things for me. I see better when I close the right eye. Wearing a patch or glasses with a darkened lense draws unwanted attention and I have to deal with questions. I really don’t want that, so normally I go with regular glasses like I had before or without glasses altogether.
I took a series of tests and was deemed safe to drive, which is good. I can still get around like a normal person.
I’m well-past the retirement age for airline flying, but I couldn’t see a reason I couldn’t serve as a simulator instructor. I looked into it and was interviewed. The further our discussion went, I became aware that to instruct in the simulator I would need ot get a type rating. That’s reasonable. To get the type rating, I would need to pass an FAA medical examination. And that’s where the problem came to the surface.
I’d known other pilots who were blind in one eye and were able to fly with a waiver. I had assumed that would be a simple thing for me to acquire. The problem is, my blindness came as the result of a stroke, and that is a whole other thing as far as the FAA is concerned.
I contacted a well-regarded Aviation Medical Examiner and although he was sympathetic to my circumstances, he couldn’t offer much encouragement. IF I was to be issued a medical with a waiver, I would have to go through a lengthy and time-consuming process which would take at the very minimum a year.
So I am no longer applying for simulator instructor jobs. I suppose I could teach ground school. And I can still fly my drone. No medical required for either of those.
My bottom line message for everyone, not just my fellow pilots is this: If you are experiencing blurred vision, get to an ER as soon as you can. Maybe do an eye massage on the way there. Decide for yourself if you want to take aspirin. DON’T DO LIKE I DID AND IGNORE IT!