Problems with myopia, blood rushes and pain in the right eye on KETO

#1

Hi,

I discovered that I had insulin intolerance a couple of years ago. Something I remember having the first symptoms of when I was about 23 (I am 50 now), but of course back then, didn’t know anything about.

For about 3-4 years ago I started doing KETO and generally live a in constant mild ketosis, but have had occasional relapses.

For the past two years or so I have begun experiences blood rushes and pain in my right eye, both when I eat, and also when I get hungry.

KETO haven’t improved this, but rather made it worse. Which is contrary to what I had expected.

The problem has actually made it more difficult for me to stay on KETO and I have felt the need to occasionally do a little fruit in order to lessen the pain.

If I do strict KETO the problem worsens.

Also, and I believe that this is a direct result of this, because it is only on the right eye, I have begun to experience myopia, and it is fast getting worse.

Have you guys any similar results or advice in this regard?

I have been at several eye doctors, but none of them knew anything about any kind of relation between my symptoms and diet (sigh!)

Kind regards,
Eric

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #2

If by “insulin intolerance” you mean “insulin-resistance,” most people don’t feel the direct effects of an elevated insulin level. It is manifested by cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and other chronic diseases. While cells can down-regulate their insulin receptors if they need to, actual insulin intolerance (i.e., insulin acting as an allergen or toxin) is not possible, since it is essential to life. Every cell in the body responds to insulin, in different ways, depending on the cell, but all responses have to do with energy storage in one way or another.

Like your ophthalmologist, I can’t see any way in which eating less carbohydrate could cause pain in your eye. In fact, a low-carb diet has been shown to help lower intra-ocular pressure, which should lessen, not increase, pain . If a low carbohydrate intake is truly the cause of your eye pain, then you are an outlier, and we don’t really have much to tell you, sorry.

#3

When I did strict keto I had high eye pressure, was there for years, I switched to TKD/CKD a while back and at my last check my pressure was normal. Weird… I never correlated the two before. There definitely seems to be some negatives sometimes. Other negative that I did connect and it seems to be a real thing is crappy Thyroid values when strict keto for a while. Those also returned to normal.

#4

I am sorry, I meant insulin-resistance!

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #5

Thanks for the clarification.

#6

I can directly both feel and see the correlation between the blood rushes and plain with feeling hungry and haven eaten. It’s only present at those two times. At all other times there is no problem.

As soon as I begin to feel hungry, my eye has the blood rushes and the pain begins. Then when I have eaten it subsides.

But sometimes it gets worse when eating, which I have noticed only happens when I eat vegetables and salat and stuff that contains some carbs - even when it’s not that much.

I don’t fully (yet) understand the relation between insulin and/or blood sugar at the eyes, but I suspect there is something going on for sure.

(Todd Allen) #7

After listening to this podcast https://hubermanlab.com/using-light-sunlight-blue-light-and-red-light-to-optimize-health/
and reading about red light and infrared being good for the eyes I have gone out the past couple mornings and looked at the morning sun through closed eyelids for a few minutes and was surprised to find it feels pretty good. In the podcast they talked about using artificial light sources but looking at the sun through closed eyelids strikes me as the “paleo” way to do it.

(Rebecca ) #8

This is fascinating! I’m on my way out right now!!

(Rebecca ) #9

Interesting!
After having a mal-treated Thyroid Disease since my late teens (I’m 60 now) I FINALLY have optimal thyroid levels!

(Bob M) #10

You should note that some highly regarded, scientific, and well researched people (aka Amber O’Hearn and others) think that thyroid hormones are different on keto/carnivore. NOT worse, just different.

People freak when their thyroid hormones are “lower” than on higher carb, but it’s unclear whether that’s an issue.

I’ve had a complete workup of thyroid hormones after being keto for a long time (5 years? 6 years? 7 years?). Normal except for one (low reverse T3?), which can be explained by Amber O’Hearn’s theories.

I have no “hypothyroid” symptoms, and I’m 9+ years into low carb/keto. I don’t get cold, hair is fine, feel fine, losing weight, etc.

#11

What did you find worked for you? I have had Hashimotos since my 30s and I am never quite ideal

(Rebecca ) #12

I am now on 3 grains (180 mgs) of Armour Thyroid. For years my various physicians would use the TSH as the dosing factor…I finally have a Dr who doesn’t! I haven’t felt this good in a long time!!

#13

Thank you. I tried Armour in 2003 and did not feel a difference. At the time I was being monitored by a GP who was into alternative treatments and I found him on a list of Armour prescribers. I recently tried ThyroGold and also did not feel much difference but I am no longer actively seeing doctors so have not checked my levels. I mostly take synthroid and alternate between taking 100 and 50, something I started doing about 18 years ago which seems to allow me to manage. I sometimes split the dose morning and afternoon but I usually do not do that anymore. Anyway, while I no longer think about my thryroid much and generally live with it, it probably is responsible for my lack of weight loss although I do notice that I tend to feel really cold while fasting and then if I had a big meal the night before I tend to be pretty warm even hot