Visual dysfunction

A wide range of ocular signs and symptoms occur in ME/CFS. These include eye pain, photophobia (light sensitivity), visual processing problems, floaters and spots, tearing, dry eyes, poor focus, double vision, scotomata, blurred vision, tunnel vision, night blindness, depth-of-field loss, nystagmus, and early cataracts.

Notable studies

• Ahmed, Nadia S.; Gottlob, Irene; Proudlock, Frank A.; Hutchinson, Claire V. (January 17, 2018), "Restricted Spatial Windows of Visibility in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)", Vision, 2 (1), doi:10.3390/vision2010002

• Badham, Stephen P.; Hutchinson, Claire V. (August 6, 2013), "Characterising eye movement dysfunction in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome", Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, 251 (12): 2769–2776, doi:10.1007/s00417-013-2431-3, ISSN 0721-832X

• Wilson, Rachel L.; Paterson, Kevin B.; Hutchinson, Claire V. (December 2015), "Increased Vulnerability to Pattern-Related Visual Stress in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis", Perception, 44 (12): 1422–1426, doi:10.1177/0301006615614467, ISSN 0301-0066, PMID 26562880

• Mastropasqua, L.; Ciancaglini, M.; Carpineto, P.; Iezzi, A. (January 1, 2000), "Ocular manifestations in chronic fatigue syndrome", Annals of Ophthalmology, 32 (3): 219–224, ISSN 1530-4086

• Potaznick, Walter F. A. A. O.; Kozol, Neil (October 1992), "Ocular Manifestations of Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome", Optometry & Vision Science, 69 (10): 811–814, ISSN 1040-5488

• Frolov, V. M.; Petrunia, A. M. (April 2003), "[Pathology of the organ of vision in chronic fatigue syndrome]", Vestnik Oftalmologii, 119 (2): 45–47, ISSN 0042-465X, PMID 13678013

• Hutchinson, Claire V.; Badham, Stephen P. (June 2013), "Patterns of abnormal visual attention in myalgic encephalomyelitis", Optometry and Vision Science: Official Publication of the American Academy of Optometry, 90 (6): 607–614, doi:10.1097/OPX.0b013e318294c232, ISSN 1538-9235, PMID 23689679

• Potaznick, Walter; Kozol, Neil (1994), "Survey of the Ocular Manifestations of Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome", Clinical Infectious Diseases, 18: –87-S87, ISSN 1058-4838, retrieved September 4, 2016

• Caffery, B. E.; Josephson, J. E.; Samek, M. J. (March 1994), "The ocular signs and symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome", Journal of the American Optometric Association, 65 (3): 187–191, ISSN 0003-0244, PMID 8201170

• Hutchinson, Claire V.; Maltby, John; Badham, Stephen P.; Jason, Leonard A. (January 2014), "Vision-related symptoms as a clinical feature of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis? Evidence from the DePaul Symptom Questionnaire", The British Journal of Ophthalmology, 98 (1): 144–145, doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2013-304439, ISSN 1468-2079, PMID 24187048

• Godts, Daisy; Moorkens, Greta; Mathysen, Danny G P (January 2016), "Binocular Vision in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome", American Orthoptic Journal, 66 (1): 92–97, doi:10.3368/aoj.66.1.92, ISSN 0065-955X, PMID 27799582

Learn more

• Visual Stress: A Symptom of ME/CFS
• Visual stress could be a symptom of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, research suggests

myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E.) - A disease often marked by neurological symptoms, but fatigue is sometimes a symptom as well. Some diagnostic criteria distinguish it from chronic fatigue syndrome, while other diagnostic criteria consider it to be a synonym for chronic fatigue syndrome. A defining characteristic of ME is post-exertional malaise (PEM), or post-exertional neuroimmune exhaustion (PENE), which is a notable exacerbation of symptoms brought on by small exertions. PEM can last for days or weeks. Symptoms can include cognitive impairments, muscle pain (myalgia), trouble remaining upright (orthostatic intolerance), sleep abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal impairments, among others. An estimated 25% of those suffering from ME are housebound or bedbound. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies ME as a neurological disease.

stress Stress can by either physical or psychological, or both. Stress is either 1) a state of emotional or psychological strain or 2) the physical stress (pressure or tension) that a physical object such the human body is placed under, e.g., a stress test is a medical test that monitors the cardiovascular system during strenuous exercise.

chronic fatigue (CF) - Persistent and abnormal fatigue is a symptom, not an illness. It may be caused by depression, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome or many other illnesses. The term "chronic fatigue" should never be confused with the disease chronic fatigue syndrome.