Balance problems

[OneEye]

I had a 3+ cm AN removed from the right side in 02/2001.  Mine was located near the brain stem instead of the canal.  I have severe balance issues since, with sudden changes in light or sound throwing me off balance.  My balance is complicated my the lack of depth perception because I can only see through one eye.  I am having difficulty finding anyone to document the combined effects of poor eyesight on balance after an AN.  Do any of you have eye problems complicating balance issues?

[Goldineye]

Hi, I was wondering did you go deaf in ne of your ears from the AN surgery. The reason I ask is because I did and I also have balance problems. I do see that I am getting better than I was but still have problems. The docters told me because the hearing mechanism was removed from the one ear that  I rely on my eyesite for balance . That is why if the lights are all off I will walk into a wall if I am not carefull. I can not walk and turn my head, like if I am in the mall and want to look in a store I have to stop, then turn or I will be on the floor. Well basiclally I look drunk half of the time .. LoL.. Well let me know.. Goldineye

[heyyouconnie]

I look drunk too, most of the time. I will start to walk down our hallway and loose my balance alittle and walk right into the wall.
I drive with a patch over my eye, and so depth perseption is bad too. Well, I was driving up to the ATM the other day thinking I was so close I might hit my rearview mirror on the outside. Well, I took the patch off to find my card, and realized I was so far away from the ATM that I had to open the door to stretch over to the machine. haha  I guess having loss of balance and patch on my eye is just part of if. I sure hate it tho. We live on top of a mountain in NC and there is kind of a steep road getting to our house, and it's gravel. There is no way I can walk it. The uneven road, not seeing well, and going downhill is so tricky with balance issues. So I just stay in the house.

[Kathleen_Mc]

Which nerves were affected by your tumor removal, usually the nerve to do with balance is effected as well as the auditory. How come the difficulty with vision? Did you have surgery or gamma knife? I have heard of people having vision problems after linac. If it is that the nerve involving balance was lost over time you likely will see an inprovement but it likely won't ever be prefect. Kathleen

[OneEye]

Yes I lost total hearing in my right ear during the surgery.  Because the tumor was near the brain stem, they had to enter from behind the right ear.  The eye sight problem was a birth defect I've had all my life.  I can see through either eye, but not both at the same time; because of this I have always relied more on my hearing than most.  I was 50 when I had the surgery so now, even 4 years later, I have severe balance problems.  Also, because my eyesight is also bad, I have constantly strain to read anything (computer, books, etc).  Since the surgery this strain produces almost constant headaches.  The biggest problem is most of the doctors do not recognize the degree of disability and it is making it very difficult to get any type of disability.  Do anyone know a Dr in the Rochester, NY area that is familiar with vestibular problems and can vouch for disability?

Thanks for any info.