So I finished OT on Friday. Today, my left eye (the same one that has gone blind now twice during my field vision test) starting itching again, just like it did about 6 weeks ago? I cannot remember. I happened to be going to my primary at the same time back then, and I had been looking for an eyelash, and found a yellow nodule in the skin near the bridge of my nose, inside the eye socket. She looked at it and said it was a sty.
I called the eye doctor, who called me back and said if it got painful, or the discharge was too much, come in and he would remove it.
Well, today, suddenly the itching came back and my eye and left nostril was just flooding with clear drainage. So I was able to get in to the eye doctor within the hour.
I have no sty, I have a cornea ulcer. He had noticed something last time and had mentioned it, and I thought it was this yellow thing - he said that's just fat. Gawd, fatty eyes on top of everything else.
He gave me scripts for pain drops and antibiotics, even though there is no infection (yet). So, I dropped them off to be filled, went back to work, and about four hours later the pain hit and I mean this is bad. I couldn't even blink it hurt so bad.
I got the pain drops in now and can see again, and read up on corner ulcers and they can come from injury (nope), the tropics/fungal (yes), strep (yes), or herpes simplex (yes).
It never ends.
You're cleaning out one system at a time. I was terrified he'd try steroids. Good luck - the abx will save your vision.
Do you know we don't have ONE AP opthamologist in the country?
Pip
I am sorry, you got hit by the pain while at work. I hope the drops keep the pain at bay. And the antibiotic clear it up fast for you.
So...fatty eyes... now that is just funny to me for some reason.
Keep us posted.
[QUOTE=justsaynoemore]It never ends. [/quote] Oh, Cathy, I empathize. I know just what you mean!
[quote] thought it was this yellow thing - he said that's just fat. Gawd, fatty eyes on top of everything else.[/quote] IF, big if, your fatty eye is xanthelasma it _might_ be worth while to have your cholesterol checked: _sometimes_ the appearance of those fatty little growths can indicate a "problem" with high levels of cholesterol. However, most often they are just a nuisance.
[quote]...they can come from injury (nope), the tropics/fungal (yes),
strep (yes), or herpes simplex (yes). [/quote] Corneal ulcers can also arise from chronically dry eyes.
As a side note, not an attempt to hijack your topic: While I have my eyes examined frequently, right now every six months, to monitor any potential side-effects of Plaquenil, I also have a "quick check" every one-three months for pterigium, a "callous" of the eye which is the result of chronic dry eyes.The surrounding area ulcerates without warning and can bleed quite dramatically.Rapid response is necessary, but prevention is imperative.
I am so sorry you have experienced this difficulty, but as Pip! point out, one system at a time...did anyone mention nutritional support for healing and prevention?
Courage, my friend, courage. JSNM, how awful and how frightening! I'm so glad you were able to see the doctor right away to keep it from getting any more serious. It sounds like everything is on the right track and your eye is on the mend. Good luck.Hi, Cathy! I'm sorry to hear about the discomfort with your eye. It sounds like it's being taken care of though. I hope it heals quickly for ya. Have a superfantastic and extra comfortable day! I'm in the Pip camp. It seems like every
sattelite ailment we have from our underlying condition needs to flare
up before it goes away. It's final hurrah....
That's what I'm choosing to think in this case, anyway.
Hope the pain drops help. That sort of eye problem can be so scary. A year ago this week I went in to the Opthamologist for another bout w/Uveitis and along with that my doc found a tear in my retina. So I had to see a retinal specialist the next day for him to repair it. They used a laser and it was painless and done with in about 5 mins. But it scared the snot out of me. Eye problems really bum me out.
BTW, I have had to use several courses of pred eye drops. The only way to get rid of the uveitis. Have you had some sort of problem with them PIP? I have been on restasis as well and it really didn't touch the dry eye problem. I had the plugs put in about 6 months ago and have had no problems since. The dry eye is almost non-existent and no more Uveitis either.
Sorry, didn't mean to run on, but just wanted to tell you howmuch the plugs helped w/dry eyes. At least for me. I hope this is not an ongoing problem and that you heal quickly.
hugs
Cathy,
Everytime I read you post I what to say keep on top of your thyroid bloodwork. Now that I am RA free, the thyroid is a different beast that has alot of ailments including dry eyes.
I never had dry eyes before the thyroid problem. Hope you don't mind me bringing it up.
LuAnn:)
22 months RA & Medicine Free.............except thyroid medOh my Cathy. I'm so sorry that you are having to go through this.
Thankfully there is a treatment.
Thanks everyone, this has been a big shock and an ordeal. I thought the doctor was really concerned yesterday, and when he called today to check on me, I realized I might be in some serious trouble here for a doctor to call. As if everything else isn't enough. I have 13 scripts right now (ointments, drops, folic acid. alot are elective), but I am amazed at this array of bottles that are suddenly in my life.
I had my thyroid removed in 2002 - was finally diagnosed in 1991 with Hashimoto's and I am referring to the thyroid as our canary. And you could never insult/upset me with a question. I definitely agree the thyroid is involved in this mess.
I read that a cornea ulcer is one of the post painful, severe pain episodes you can go through. I believe it. I read that about pancreatitis too, so I love pain. The doctor today after I first blurted out how happy I was he gave me the pain drops because it hit so hard about four hours after I saw him, was surprised. He thought I was being very stoic and just riding it out. He didn't realize I wasn't feeling any pain because he said ulcers like that are killers. I kept wondering why he keep going on and on about the pain, I was just feeling some itching and the discharge was huge (still is). It turned out, the pain he thought I had hadn't hit yet.
If this isn't better by Friday he said we will have to do some things. So put me on your prayer list, because I don't want anybody messing with my eyes. Gives me the absolute freak-out mind benders to even go that route. Slivers for biopsies, transplants. vision loss, loss of eye. Oh boy.
He said give it another 48 hours. It's not infected, that's good. But he is looking for it to heal, and with autoimmune, healing of cuts, etc. is difficult as it takes forever now. Thanks again, Cathy
Prayers being said. I so hope things get better. It sounds horribly painful.
Cathy this sounds terrible.OMG...how traumatic! Please do all you can to take care of yourself. I'll be thinking psotitive thoughts for you.
Much prayers your way.
Feel better soon.
Oh on a freak-out eye note... my mommy has diabetes, and she recently had those lenses inserted into her eyes to take away the cloudiness in her vision and to help them keep track of her diabetes a little better. It freaks me out to look at her in the eyes, because when the lights hit her eyes a certain way you can see the lenses, and it makes her eyes sparkle or twinkle.
Twinkle, twinkle.... Baby.... twinkle, twinkle.
Sorry it related in my pain med induced brain of thought.
Happ - it's improved, but its going somewhere ... where, I do not know ~~ thanks for asking Cathy PS yurts, smoke, feathers, rattles, energy and healing sounds back at 'cah
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