Starting to have eyeball pain from warm compresses

[JJdryeye]

I started using warm compresses on my eyes a few months ago, and it really made a big difference, and has been about the only thing that has helped me. I use a sock filled with rice and heated in the microwave for about 50 seconds. I lay the sock over both eyes for about 15 minutes, 1x or 2x per day.

Recently, whenever I do a treatment, I've been getting a dull pain in my right eye while doing the treatment. It doesn't feel like its on the surface of my eye, but rather deeper inside my eye.

I've been careful not to get the sock too warm. I even tried backing down the temperature. But I'm still getting the pain.

Has anyone else ever experienced this?

I'd really hate to give this treatment up as it's the only thing that has provided me any kind of relief.

I'd really appreciate any suggestions about this. Thanks.

[irish eyes]

JJdryeye

I haven't had that kind of pain as a result of using compresses but I experience it when an episode of iritis (uveitis) is coming on.

I've had this for years so I'm familiar with the `signs'.

I'm not suggesting that this is what you have but perhaps it's worth getting it checked out - just to make sure.

[magoo]

Just a thought. Try putting the sock on your eyes unheated just to make sure it isn't the weight of the sock instead of the heat that's causing the ache.

I realize it isn't likely that the slight weight would cause this, but you may as well find out for sure.

[JJdryeye]

JJdryeye

I haven't had that kind of pain as a result of using compresses but I experience it when an episode of iritis (uveitis) is coming on.

I've had this for years so I'm familiar with the `signs'.

I'm not suggesting that this is what you have but perhaps it's worth getting it checked out - just to make sure.

Thanks for the suggestion. I did some reading and I don't think the signs really fit. Most of the pictures show people in which the whites of their eyes are extremely red. I don't have that. But anything is possible I suppose.

[JJdryeye]

Just a thought. Try putting the sock on your eyes unheated just to make sure it isn't the weight of the sock instead of the heat that's causing the ache.

I realize it isn't likely that the slight weight would cause this, but you may as well find out for sure.

I had considered this as well. So today I put the rice bag on my eyes for 15 minutes with no heat. During the 15 minutes I didn't notice any pain. But afterwards, I had some pain for a while. Just not as severe.

Before, with the heat, the pain came on within a couple of minutes, and was more intense. So I don't know what to think, maybe it's a combination of pressure and heat. I just don't understand why I went 3 months or so without this pain, and now all of a sudden the rice bag treatment is bringing this on. Very fustrating!

I will also add that the pain seems to linger after the treatment for 30-60 minutes before it finally dies out. But the rest of the day I'm fine.

What's also interesting, is that I found another discussion forum with someone having the exact same problem:

http://www.rosaceagroup.org/The_Rosa...esses&p=233857

So there must be something to this. I'm just not sure what to do next.

[redhector]

pain in right eye

here are a couple of thoughts,
if it is iritis, ingflamation inside your eye, your vision would be blurry for hours, the eye would be red and sore to touch.
it might be a pinched nerve in your neck due to positioning of your head while doing the compresses. there are nerves that travel from your neck to the back of your eye, occipital nerve, that may have been damaged from whip lash or arthritis

[JJdryeye]

Thanks for your thoughts, but:

here are a couple of thoughts,
if it is iritis, ingflamation inside your eye, your vision would be blurry for hours, the eye would be red and sore to touch.

I have not experienced either of these symptoms.

it might be a pinched nerve in your neck due to positioning of your head while doing the compresses. there are nerves that travel from your neck to the back of your eye, occipital nerve, that may have been damaged from whip lash or arthritis

I lay flat on my back when I do this, with my head on a pillow. I would think if it was the position of my head, that I would have the same problem when I lie down to sleep or rest, which I don't.


I appreciate your input though, this thing is mystery.

[JJdryeye]

it might be a pinched nerve in your neck due to positioning of your head while doing the compresses. there are nerves that travel from your neck to the back of your eye, occipital nerve, that may have been damaged from whip lash or arthritis

I thought about this some more, and remembered I sometimes lay on my stomach while using my laptop, sometimes for long periods of time. This puts my head back in somewhat of a stretched position. I wonder if doing so recently could have done something to a nerve. I've never been in a car accident or anything violent, but perhaps something as simple overstretching my neck could have brought this on. But it still doesn't explain why the pressure and/or heat from the rice bag triggers it. If it is related to my neck, hopefully it's something that would go away within a few weeks. Ugh.

[JJdryeye]

I am in the same boat. I have been using warm compresses for a year now, specifically the rice baggy method and I actually find it soothing. However, I have also been trying to investigate whether my chronic pain in my eyes are caused by the warm compresses.
I was thinking either the weight of the rice baggy along with the slight pressure against my eyes may be causing it or else the heat is aggrevating my sinuses and what I am feeling is sinus pain which could also show up as pain behind the eyes.
I am going to stop the warm massages for a while and see if I get some improvement.

Do you have the pain even when you are not using the rice bag?

[irish eyes]

Most of the pictures show people in which the whites of their eyes are extremely red. I don't have that. But anything is possible I suppose.

Hi JJdrye

Yes, presenting symptoms can vary. It's something I have suffered from on and off for years so I'm really `tuned in' to the signs. It wouldnt do any harm to get someone to look at it though.

[JJdryeye]

Unfortunately yes. I am trying to investigate whether the pain is from the compresses and eye massages. I probably should stop fussing and bothering my eyes and see if I get any relief. I guess it would take a while to see if it makes a difference since I have been doing this routine for a while.
I shall continue using heat but trying a different method where I am not applying any pressure to the eyeball and just to the eyelids. I shall also avoid the massages altogether since this could be aggravating the pain.
Keep me posted if you see any difference.

It's been several days now since I did a treatment. I had been getting some minor pain even when not doing the treatment, but now that has gone away (I hope), so I think it was definetely the heat or pressure that was causing the problem. The poster on the other forum I linked above responded and his problem went away by reducing the heat. I'm gonna try the treatments again next week and see what happens. How has your pain been Chemia?

[Michael2]

i believe that if your meibomian glands are very inflamed, that heat can cause further pain. when my glands were not functioning at all, heat would cause varying symptoms...some days it would be 'soothing,' but then other teams it would be so extremely painful it felt like my eyes burst into flames.

now that my glands are much less inflamed, warm compresses are actually very soothing...i can physically feel the oil seep into my eyes from the glands, and it feels great.

[JJdryeye]

i believe that if your meibomian glands are very inflamed, that heat can cause further pain. when my glands were not functioning at all, heat would cause varying symptoms...some days it would be 'soothing,' but then other teams it would be so extremely painful it felt like my eyes burst into flames.

now that my glands are much less inflamed, warm compresses are actually very soothing...i can physically feel the oil seep into my eyes from the glands, and it feels great.

The thing is though, the m-glands are located at the front of the eye, in the lids. Yet the pain I experience is radiating from the back of my eye. It's not an ocular burning sensation, but rather a throbbing/pressure dull pain.

[JJdryeye]

Just thought I would report back here and update anyone interested in my situation with this.

I went through about a 9-day span earlier in the month when I was basically pain free. I didn't attempt any rice bag or lid massage treatments during this time.

In the last 9 days however, I've tried shorter treatments with lower heat on 4 seperate days. And in this 9 day span, I've had pain off and on. During treatments, and often long after treatments, even on days with no treatments.

So I'm not sure what to do. I guess I'll stop the treatments again for another week and see if the pain goes away again.

This is SO wierd and fustrating. I figure I'll have to see a doctor about it if it continues through December, but at this point I have no idea what kind of doctor I would even see since the pain radiates from the back of my right eye and almost feels like a headache at times (Opthamologist? Ear, nose & throat? General? Spinal?).