Eye problem, maybe allergy? On FML, Advice please....

[Impreza19]

i will look into better glasses.
My optician does squeeze my eyelid and said the glands are working fine.
Its weird, i have worked from 8:45 until 6pm today. Regularly put in eye drops (optrex dry eye) as my left one was getting sore and i could see the cloudiness again. Then by about 5:30pm they seem a lot more comfortable, it is now half past 7 and my eyes feel ok.
When i first put the lenses in this morning, i got in my car and drove to work. When i got to work my eyes were sore, and my nose was itching like mad. It really seems like an allergy, but what possible allergy could it be if all i did was get in my car and go to work, and could a contact lens solution allergy make my nose itch?
To find out im going to just clean my contacts with saline for a couple of days, is this a good idea?

[unicorn]

I can't personally say it would be a good idea to clean your contacts with saline - too much risk of infection, and if you have an allergy to deposits on the lens that can only make things worse.
Secondly if you are allergic to the solutions it'll take a lot longer than a couple of days to clear up, meaning you won't be able to tell in that short a space of time. I was allergic to my contact lens solution and I was told it would take up to 12 weeks to clear up (ie 12 weeks of not using it!) This is because it's a T-cell modulated allergy, not a histamine-type allergy.
Such a shame you can't wear daily lenses. If you can get some better glasses that could really help in trying to identify the problem by quitting your lenses for a while.
Strange that your nose was so itchy though. Is there something in your car that bothers you? air freshener maybe? I do think the 'cloudiness' sounds like dryness but of course the dryness could be being caused by an allergy.

[Impreza19]

Surely there is nothing in peroxide which has been neutralised which could possibly cause an allergy?
My normal routine is:

Take contacts out, rub quickly with multi purpose no preservative solution.
Put contacts in peroxide case
Fill with peroxide
When its done, take contacts out, rub a bit with multi purpose solution and put in eyes.

it is Specsavers brand stuff, it comes with my 3 monthly lenses.
My eyes feel a bit better today but still pretty sore and red, not a great improvement.
What solutions are recommended as the most anti allergy friendly ones? Dont mind buying some to try for a month or 2.

[unicorn]

I'm not totally sure about this but I think a peroxide-based solution is the only option without preservatives, and it's preservatives that most commonly cause an allergy (although you can be sensitive to any chemical, preservative or not).

I wonder, why are you using a peroxide solution? Is it because you had a reaction to other multi-purpose solutions? In this case, using FML drop (which contain a nasty preservative, BAK), could be further contributing to your problem.

Do you have any follow-up appointments booked, either at the hospital, or with an optometrist? This would be a good place to discuss your options.

I do worry that continuing to wear your lenses even though your eyes are 'pretty sore and red' isn't a good idea.

[Impreza19]

I have always used peroxide mainly simply because it is easier and less time consuming that is all.
I will remove multi solution from my cleaning regime.
At the hospital the doctor said it is only a minor allergy, so i dont think it is as serious as it might come across, just very annoying when im working etc.
My dad has bad hayfever today, he takes beconase to stop it, but his eyes go red and itchy, so perhaps it could be hayfever if ive inherited it from him?
Yes i have an optician appointment in a week (she tests dryness and overall eye condition, perhaps can discuss different contacts/glasses options) and i have a proper hospital appointment in october but i will try and bring that forward.
Your replies have been very helpful so far, thank you

[Impreza19]

to update the problem persists, some days its worse than others.
I really dont know what to do about it now. Ive tried using only peroxide, which helped a bit, ive tried only using multi solution which if anything made things worse.
Tried FML drops, allergy drops, allergy pills, everything and its still no good. ONLY THE LEFT EYE! And i just dont get it...

[littlemermaid]

Are you allergic to your pillow or bedding since it's your left eye only, or detergents? You're not still using steroids so you can wear contact lenses are you buddy? Or maybe there's a grumbling undiagnosed infection - eye docs randomly dish out topical preservative-free antibacterials in case it's this. NHS have just updated the blepharitis info and it's pretty good http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Blephar...roduction.aspx. As an example, we're cleaning the eyelid margins and follicles twice/day with warm water cottonwool and keeping things good + carefully trying various recipes - eg currently we're doing well adding a small amount of tea tree shampoo in case there's demodex (no common allergens like sodium lauryl sulphate, paraben free etc). Eye washes take careful experimentation when the eyes are sensitive to chemicals like they're saying you might be. An eye clean in the warm shower in the morning helps unless you're allergic to your products, but then it would be both eyes I guess. What do you think?

[Impreza19]

it can sometimes be the right but most the time its just the left eye. I dont think im allergic to bedding because it can happen in the afternoon when im at work.
And no im not using steroids. What infection can last about 8 months?

[littlemermaid]

What infection can last about 8 months?

Blepharitis comes back any time unless we continue being careful (see NHS website 'blepharitis' and www.cks.nhs.uk/blepharitis).

Also some people have an allergic/hypersensitive response to normally occurring eg bacteria, skin bugs (see PubMed 'blepharitis') which may/may not be in overgrowth. Also, obviously, chemicals eg contact lens, environment, perfumes, products, lots of other allergens.

I think we're all wondering whether you still have this without the contact lenses, eg on holiday, or in a different environment?

I have to say that I've had the best advice on possible causes of allergy/chronic bleph from pharmacists and mums. It's about becoming aware of what is setting your eyes off by elimination, if you can't get testing (and we haven't been able to), eg where are you when it starts up eg are you sensitive to cleaning products/air fresheners at work, as Unicorn says?

Have you been staring not blinking when it starts eg computer, driving? Is it contact lens overwear, because you do not sound keen on your glasses? Have a look at Ferbear's excellent post http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...st-time-poster

What sort of things do you think you might be allergic to?

[Impreza19]

when i last went to the docs about 3 weeks ago he said there was no sign of bleph, i got a second opinion who said the same.
I dont seem to have the problem on camp outs, or when staying at my friends house (but i do get the same problem when staying at my girlfriends house...)
It seems to happen randomly, like today the outside corner of my left eye started getting very itchy, all i had done was walk around outside in town for a while then came home, 5 mins after being home it started itching.
I have since done an eye bath which seems to have helped...

[Impreza19]

Some more pics;






Are thre any strong mass cell stabilizers in the UK, or antihistamines? Doctors seem useless

[villfan22]

Inner eyelid looks red to me. Alot like mine. I am trying Olopatadine (Opatanol) for allergy. It might be worth asking your GP for a script. Otherwise, try an OTC anti-allergy drop. You could be reacting to your contacts you see, so you'll have symptoms whenever you wear them and sometime afterwards.

[Impreza19]

but i need contact lens in my daily life, what could be done about it?

[littlemermaid]

Impreza, Oh dear, very uncomfortable eyes, cherry red under the lower eyelids. If this was LM I would say reaction to eyedrops but I'm not a doc.

But are your eyes tearing up when they are itching?

When exactly are you getting allergy symptoms: your house, friend's house (not girlfriend's), work (office?), car - any other times eg outdoors?

Are you waking with problems? or does it develop through the day?

They are saying your bleph is gone because you have clear meibom?

Which eyedrops are you currently using? esp when your contact lenses are in? What other treatments are you doing?

what could be done about it?

Get your contact lens optician to see you in this state. If they don't know what to do and still try to flog various contacts, dump then and get another optometrist for good advice.

Identify allergens, remove them. Wait a few weeks for your eyes to heal.

Let us know what you think of Ferbear's post http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...hlight=ferbear

[Impreza19]

Sometimes tear sometimes dont. Usually its the left outside corner which waters, but sometimes doesnt water at all.
I seem to get flare ups randomly. If i had to narrow it down with %'s of the severity, i'd say:

Morning: 40%
Work: Sometimes fine, other times anywhere from 30-90% (i work in a large department store, no one else working there suffers from it)
Night time in my room: 50-90%
Friends house: 10-70%
Girlfriends house: 10-90%

As you can tell its pretty random on severity, what i put in my eyes is:

Celluvisc preservative free eye drops.
Contact lens clean routine is hydrogen peroxide, then some multi solution before putting the lenses in, this is also preservative free.

They see no bacertia/residue on my eyelid/lashes, so they say bleph has gone. My meibom glands are clear, no residue coming out of them.
My optician is good, she gave me the other contact lenses for free to see if it would help. She has seen my eyelids in this state and she just doesnt know what the allergy is to, but she is confident it is not to the contact lens