12 years with PA and now eye pain | Arthritis Information

I've been off work for 3 weeks now with very bad pain in my right eye. On my 3rd visit with my ophthalmologist he tells me my eye looks better and I can go back to work. I tried to explain that it does not feel like it's getting better. Redness comes and goes, sharp pain comes and goes, it aches half the time and feels weird and out of focus all the time. It gives me headaches everyday. I've been taking Tobradex drops twice a day.

I believe the pain is related to my PA and the doctor seemed to agree and said "It's just a little inflammation". I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow, a fast paced computer tech support job. I can barely manage to type this MSG. I don't know what to do about it. I don't feel I'm being treated with the right meds or understanding. Anyone have experience with PA eye pain? How did it turn out? What Meds? I've been tolerating my joint pains for years but my eye pain is not something I can ignore or work around.

Hi Relax, I haven't had any problems with PsA in my eyes.

I think it's time you went to another Oprthal. for a second opinion. Have you had an MRI or CT scan of the eye and area behind the eye? If not, I'd ask for one. You're having headaches and they should be investigated further. Please get a second opinion. Lindy

Hi Relax,

Was wondering does the pain feel almost sinus? Like if you close your eyes does it feel a little better or if you put pressure around your eyes, does it alleviate some of the pain?

I'm just wondering cause I have headaches all the time and always blamed it on my sinuses, maybe its not. It feels like my eyes hurt, like they are tired. The headache almost feels like its behind my eyes like a sinus headache without the congested sinuses.

The ache is almost like an ice cream headache only not as intense and more over to the right side. Sometimes feels heavy from my eyebrow to my cheek. Not sure if it has anything to do with my sinuses but I do have sinus problems. All these things are soo hard to pin point and it sucks.....

Let me know how you make out with the dr.

Hope you feel better real soon....

What meds are you on for your PsA?

I am about to start Enbrel here soon, and Im still nervous. I have had this for about 1 and 1/2 years but diagnosed about 5 or 6 months ago.

I got totally fed up with PsA meds! Tried all kinds, felt like they were literally killing me. About 7-8 years ago I walked out of the doctors office with a 0 prescription to double my methotrexate dosage, tossed it in the garbage and never looked back. Only thing I take sometimes is nexium to help my stomach that was damaged by those PA Meds. I have to agree with you there. I posted a little while ago that i did think that the med actually made you worse. I know that i am new to all of this, but by reading everyones postings, it does seem that the meds cause soo many problems that cause you to be on other meds, but on the other hand who can live with the pain and deformity. Its almost like a catch 22. Damned if you don't and damned if you do.

I was started on the NSAIDS which after 5 weeks i had to go off of because it made me swell more than i was and the pain was unbearable and when i went off of them it was back to the way it was before(except now i have heartburn) i started them (which wasn't all that great). I have been on nothing all this time, and its been rough i must say, and just now when my Enbrel was approved my pain is almost gone except for 3 fingers that are still swollen, but not as bad as before. I have not picked up my Enbrel cause right now I am not feeling all that well, I've been having these wicked headaches like i mentioned before that aren't easing up with otc stuff. This is why i am scared to start, Im not sure if I should wait unit it gets real bad again or start when I am feeling soo much better than i have in a year and a half..(I can actually walk with no pain)... I have read everything on this disease and somehow still don't understand it, like it has a mind of its own... Still not sure what to do....