Persistent eye problems

[Matchstickslim]

Hi all,
I’ve been having a few problems with my eyes and my doctor and optician can’t (won’t) help so I’m looking for some more opinions.

I’ve had an sty in my right inner eye lid since March, it hurt for a few weeks but eventually subsided - unfortunately no amount of hot compresses have managed to cure it, so eventually I gave up. I then got a sty in my left inner eye lid, with the same symptoms and the same problems, I still have them both now but they don’t cause me any pain. I'm only mentioning this because I think it may be related to the real problem below.

Unfortunatelym, for the past 4 months my eyes started to get quite red and sore, partially my right eye. The blood vessels become very prominent, my eye and eye lids become itchy, and they sometimes water or ooze a white stringy substance.

The strange thing is that my eyes feel ok most of the time during the day, it’s at night or in the morning that they are sore. See the picture below, that’s what my eyes look when I wake up in the morning, at night, or when I get tired (this latter point I can understand).

It takes about 2 hours after being awake for it to become normal, sometimes it’s either eye, other times its both.
I can’t really suggest any causes, I’ve changed bed sheets / pillows and they are washed regularly so it’s not that – I don’t think it’s an reaction or allergy anyway.

Thanks.

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/137/eyesig.jpg

[TheEnd]

Glasses? Contact Lenses?
Doctor has said?
Optician has said?

[Matchstickslim]

I wear glasses, but not contacts, and I dont have a habit of poking stuff in my eye (I'm 21 for what its worth).

The optician and doctor said everything was ok, but keep in mind that by the time I see them the redness has died down somewhat (and the eye sty isn't worth worrying about apparently).

[sw67]

I had a lot of problems with red eyes due to Iritis and blepharitis over a period of ten years. I dont think you have that or the optician would pick it up but a consultant told me to clean my eyelids twice per day with a solution of warm water and bicarbonate of soda.

You can give it a go as it shouldnt do any harm - i do it before and after bed

Half a teaspoon to cup of water

Edited by sw67 on Monday 28th November 19:39

[Matchstickslim]

Did it help?

Today a friend noticed that my right upper eyelid is more red and purple than my left - perhaps its my eye lid that is causing the problems (I did get my eyelids checked by an optician but they were fine, apparently).

[otolith]

My wife was having problems with her eyes - watering all the time, red, sore, itchy. The ophthalmologist checked that her tear ducts were OK and then suggested that she wear an eye mask at night. That seems to have sorted it out.

[Matchstickslim]

Thanks for that. Whats the purpose of the eye mask?

[Pickled Piper]

Go back to your Optician. I'm no expert but at a guess you have a combination of an infection and inflammation caused by poking / rubbing your eye. In my experience GPs are not very good with eyes.

pp

or pm 968 on here. He's an eye Doc.

Edited by Pickled Piper on Monday 28th November 19:38

[sw67]

Yes it helped and i still do it every day

[otolith]

Matchstickslim said:

Thanks for that. Whats the purpose of the eye mask?

Her eyelids are slightly open when she's asleep, it keeps out dust and reduces drying.

[968]

Matchstickslim said:

Hi all,
I’ve been having a few problems with my eyes and my doctor and optician can’t (won’t) help so I’m looking for some more opinions.

I’ve had an sty in my right inner eye lid since March, it hurt for a few weeks but eventually subsided - unfortunately no amount of hot compresses have managed to cure it, so eventually I gave up. I then got a sty in my left inner eye lid, with the same symptoms and the same problems, I still have them both now but they don’t cause me any pain. I'm only mentioning this because I think it may be related to the real problem below.

Unfortunatelym, for the past 4 months my eyes started to get quite red and sore, partially my right eye. The blood vessels become very prominent, my eye and eye lids become itchy, and they sometimes water or ooze a white stringy substance.

The strange thing is that my eyes feel ok most of the time during the day, it’s at night or in the morning that they are sore. See the picture below, that’s what my eyes look when I wake up in the morning, at night, or when I get tired (this latter point I can understand).

It takes about 2 hours after being awake for it to become normal, sometimes it’s either eye, other times its both.
I can’t really suggest any causes, I’ve changed bed sheets / pillows and they are washed regularly so it’s not that – I don’t think it’s an reaction or allergy anyway.

Thanks.

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/137/eyesig.jpg

Difficult to be sure despite the photo, but it could be one of a few things. Certainly blepharitis is a strong possibility, or in your case blepharoconjunctivitis. It's quite common and easy to treat with bathing with cooled down boiled water mixed with baby shampoo, at least twice a day, if not more. Sometimes a course of certain antibiotics can help, such as doxycycline.

My main piece of advice is to get seen by an Ophthalmologist. With respect to the GPs here, they don't know that much about eyes or have much ability to examine the eye in detail, due to lack of equipment and optometrists are highly variable in their ability to spot disease and diagnose problems, due to unfamiliarity. Ask your GP or optom to send a referral, they will examine you thoroughly and in detail. I'm sure it will be fairly easy to treat, whatever the origin of the problem.

[Matchstickslim]

Thanks for that.

I went to see the doctor today and they have prescribed me some Azelastine 0.05% eye drops - they think my case is allergy related. This is because my systems lessen during the day, and get worse when I am home.

[968]

Matchstickslim said:

Thanks for that.

I went to see the doctor today and they have prescribed me some Azelastine 0.05% eye drops - they think my case is allergy related. This is because my systems lessen during the day, and get worse when I am home.

I don't think this is allergy, and with respect to the GP, I suggest he/she probably doesn't know either. I would ask for a referral.

[Matchstickslim]

968 said:

I don't think this is allergy, and with respect to the GP, I suggest he/she probably doesn't know either. I would ask for a referral.

I think quite possibly you are right, unfortunately they want to try more than hot compresses and johnsons baby shampoo before I am referred.

[968]

Matchstickslim said:

I think quite possibly you are right, unfortunately they want to try more than hot compresses and johnsons baby shampoo before I am referred.

That's not their decision, it's yours. You can quite rightly say that this has been going on long enough and you don't want them to try more treatments that are unlikely to work, without properly examining you (which they can't). Hot compresses and baby shampoo are only an option to keep things at bay, if they are taking things seriously and actually knew what blepharitis and chalazions are they would treat you with oral doxycycline. Basically they are guessing due to their lack of knowledge and ability to examine you properly. If the GP won't refer you, go to your local hospital and try to get seen in the eye casualty.

[Matchstickslim]

968 said:

That's not their decision, it's yours. You can quite rightly say that this has been going on long enough and you don't want them to try more treatments that are unlikely to work, without properly examining you (which they can't). Hot compresses and baby shampoo are only an option to keep things at bay, if they are taking things seriously and actually knew what blepharitis and chalazions are they would treat you with oral doxycycline. Basically they are guessing due to their lack of knowledge and ability to examine you properly. If the GP won't refer you, go to your local hospital and try to get seen in the eye casualty.

I absolutely agree with you, she was looking very perplexed, but my optimistic passive side accepted the prescription for Azelastine. I'll try it and see what happens.

Oh, and I did go to my local hospital but there were no doctors available so I was seen by a nurse - she admitted it was red and "ugly" but otherwise looks ok...

I'm starting to think seriously that the world is full of incompetents'. Thank god for PH

[968]

Matchstickslim said:

I absolutely agree with you, she was looking very perplexed, but my optimistic passive side accepted the prescription for Azelastine. I'll try it and see what happens.

Oh, and I did go to my local hospital but there were no doctors available so I was seen by a nurse - she admitted it was red and "ugly" but otherwise looks ok...

I'm starting to think seriously that the world is full of incompetents'. Thank god for PH

The problem is the more drops that are given, which contain preservatives, the more the eye will be irritable and sore. If the drops start to make your eyes feel sore, stop them immediately. I think it's a mistake, and frankly shows that the GP is simply guessing. The usual form of GP dealing with eye issues are 1) try chloramphenicol 2) try fucithalmic 3) try antihistamine drops 4)maybe refer, after the surface of the eye has been thoroughly poisoned. You may be able to get a walk in centre to refer you to the local eye unit if your GP won't.

[Matchstickslim]

I think you are spot on. I was recommended chloramphenicol and it was fking horrible, only lasted a few days and then I had to pack it in.

[Du1point8]

I got blepharitis and it is simply cured by washing with johnsons baby shampoo for a few days to a weeks and back to normal.

I got the red eyes and white stringy stuff (sleep from the sounds of it) and sometimes it would blob up under the eye lid and cause redness in the eye and even worse would be waking up in the morning and eye lashes stuck together with sleep.

Works for me and it was my optician that sorted it all out for me.

[968]

Du1point8 said:

I got blepharitis and it is simply cured by washing with johnsons baby shampoo for a few days to a weeks and back to normal.

I got the red eyes and white stringy stuff (sleep from the sounds of it) and sometimes it would blob up under the eye lid and cause redness in the eye and even worse would be waking up in the morning and eye lashes stuck together with sleep.

Works for me and it was my optician that sorted it all out for me.

I don't think this chaps problem is quite that simple. Blepharitis can sometimes be treated rather simply with bathing but sometimes it requires detailed assessment and treatment.