# Eye issues - need some suggestions



## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

Here's the history - 4/1 I woke up with conjunctivitis in one eye, by evening, both eyes involved and my eyes had just about swollen shut. Up to urgent care, eye drops rx. This was a BAD case, eventually all the skin around my eyes peeled because of the swelling & infection. Finished the drops. Still felt like my eyes had sand in them and were red but significantly improved. 2nd round of drops prescribed. One eye has completely healed - the left eye however, not so much. Went to my primary care doctor - he can't find anything in my left eye/eye lid - but it feels like there is a rock under the upper lid. It waters, hurts and wakes me up at night. I've been on Patanol for a week, to see if this is allergy related for a week, but my eye hurts more today than it did last week. I still can't see anything in/on the eyelid, no swelling visible like a bump, but it feels like something's in there -- it does not move around, always the pain is in the same place.

I'm a little lost here and before I go back to the doc, thought I'd see if anybody had any ideas, or new questions I can consider?


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## Woolieface (Feb 17, 2015)

If you're brave, do what I have and use one small drop of tea tree oil rubbed over palms and then flush eyes with water while the oil is on your hands. It really isn't that bad, but if it sounds intimidating try coating eyelids, top and bottom with raw honey. It's a bit of a mess but just put up with that for about 20 minutes a couple times a day and rinse off. It's an amazing healer.


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## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

.............I'd suggest seeing an Opthomologist , MD eye doc specialist ! I gathered you were being diagnosed by a General practictioner..........he should have sent you to a specialist . 
.............Medicare will pay for a yearly eye exam ! I just had one back in Dec-2014 , cost me $25 . I'm on AARP medicare advantage plan . , fordy


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Gotta agree with fordy. See (or is that "go to?"  ) a specialist pronto. This is nothing to mess around with.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

Thanks, I am waiting to see an eye specialist-takes a while to get in to see these guys these days. in the meantime, I'll make do I suppose. I could do the honey, but the tea tree oil might be more than I can handle. Regardless, thanks for the inputs. Always appreciated.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Dear....any rashes? I have had shingles in my eyes and that is it...how are you with lights? 

I stay in the dark with eye patches.

The scripts run 100 and the doctor 200.
It can last for months, but normally just 2-3 weeks.

Did you get the shingles vaccine?
Fyi if it is shingles NEVER GET THE VAC for shingles or at least check with you doc on that because maybe there was more than having had shingles before the vac came out... but I asked last time I saw the eye doc and he was clear......heck he was firm that I should never get the vaccine due to shingles in the eyes


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

Kasilofhome: interesting thought. I've never had shingles but I also never get the vaccination. Thanks for mentioning it.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Did you have chicken pox....that is the precursor to shingles.

If it is shingles your vision can be impacted.. blindness is very possible..
Plus just the pain is dreadful.

When I got it the first time I was told it was rare...but I hear David Letterman. And others getting it.. and the second time .....still they claim it is rare but if you had it before odds are.....you will get it again. And again.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

I did have chicken pox as a very young child 50+ years ago. The pain in my eye is not what I would call dreadful, it just feels like there is a rough stone under my eyelid. My GP has pointed me to an opthalmologist so hopefully I'll be able to get in or it'll fix itself in the meantime. shingles doesn't sound like fun anywhere, including the eyes.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Don't rule it out...well it was like forty years from chicken pox to shingles..
It felt like what your claiming and any light made it worse.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

Thanks. At this point, I'm not ruling anything out - I'm just hoping it's not shingles cause it sounds really painful.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I had a sore lump under one of my eye lids a while back so I went to my eye doctor. He said my tear ducts were plugged and they had backed up and become infected. He suggested a warm compress followed by washing my eye lids with Dove soap. It worked and periodically I wash my eye lids with Dove while showering to keep it from coming back.

I'm prone to plugged tear ducts and infection but that was the worst. Now I know how to prevent it.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

fishhead, thanks. I appreciate the suggestions since the Opthamologist's calendar is booked out until August  (looking for an alternate Doc). Maybe it'll just go away on it's own.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

August....no way would I wait that long... I would recall them ....if the pain was really bad and express that you are truly concerned about a potential loss of sight.


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

A friend of mine had something happening with her eyes a few months ago. One of the problems was an eyelash that was inside the eyelid growing inward that continually scratched her eye every time she blinked. Once the eye doctor removed that a lot of the pain went away.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

One of my adopted dogs had inward facing lashes. They had been scraping on her eyeballs for so long the eyes started to pigment and closed her vision like she was wearing blinders.

The vet trimmed her lids to roll her lashes outward. Fortunately the pigmentation went away.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

Great inputs. I called back and the doc has worked me in for a Friday appointment (booked through August, but available in May?) Anyway, hopefully by Friday I'll have more information and next steps.


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## kasilofhome (Feb 10, 2005)

Good now keep us posted.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

mzgarden said:


> Great inputs. I called back and the doc has worked me in for a Friday appointment (booked through August, but available in May?) Anyway, hopefully by Friday I'll have more information and next steps.


Common with a lot of docs. It pays to be aggressive when you need immediate care.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

And the answer is......deposits left on the surfaces of my eyes after having such a severe case of conjunctivitis - and the intense swelling caused some temporary dystrophy on the back of my cornea. All this is contributing to the pain, redness, light sensitivity and dry eyes. Steroid drops for a month and supplemental tears as drops and we'll see if it's improved in 3 weeks. Thanks for everyone's suggestions.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Good luck!


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