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

[littlemermaid]

Maybe have a look at Unicorn's eMedicine link again and browse around there to read up on types of allergy, treatments and possible causes http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1191467-overview. Astonishing what people are allergic too and what can happen.

I'd carry on with a very careful warm water + cotton wool cleaning regime to keep blepharitis away, just in case, and consider the occasional warm compress, even just a clean with a warm damp flannel.

Do you want to say what your glasses prescription is? I'm still seeing you in fashionable Armanis, esp for outside work. LM just got the latest Calvin Klein's and we paid for extra thin lenses. Worth it.

[villfan22]

[QUOTE=littlemermaid;76885]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.QUOTE]

Thats interesting, I use a number of different drops, Systane, Systane Ultra, Blink Intensive. I rotate through them as I don't have a preference between any of them.

Could the drops be making my eyes worse? My inner eyelids are like Impreza18, but i'm not a contacts wearer. I have papillary conjunctivitis and my Opth is running the allergy route, but TBH I'm struggling to think what the allergy(ies) are as it's been pretty constant for 10 or so months.

[littlemermaid]

Could the drops be making my eyes worse

Well, this is what we are speculating ATM and we are using normal saline 0.9% Minims as much as possible, but also needing something viscous we use Hylotears, except less. As Unicorn's excellent links, there are different types of 'allergy' or hypersensitivity and we are calling ours type IV. I did ask at last week's appointment about papillae and the ophth says he sees papillary reaction in obvious type I allergies, but also in reaction to eyedrops. Up till then I'd thought it looked different.

[Impreza19]

Well ive become ridiculous with my eye cleaning now to see if it helps.
I was cleaning my room yesterday, pulled the bed out, all my cupboards and got rid of every spec of dust (almost literally).
When i had finished i felt my eye corner was starting to itch, so i went straight to the bathroom and did a saline eye bath.
MADE SURE not to directly touch my eye, as i read yesterday that if i rub it it releases more histaminess.
Will see how it goes, hospital on wednesday so i hope ill be given some stronger steroids as FML did nothing,

[littlemermaid]

i hope ill be given some stronger steroids as FML did nothing

No, sweetheart. There's too much risk of giving yourself cataracts from steroids.

If FML did nothing and you haven't got mgd from blepharits, maybe it's allergy, esp because you have itchy nose. But to what? Maybe dust mites and perfumed cleaning products and air fresheners? Try allergy-friendly unperfumed washing detergent. Keep blitzing the house getting rid of possible allergens to see what happens. You can always reintroduce later.

I wonder why it's left eye corner every time - do you have a habit of touching your eyes there? Which contact lens do you put in first?

The reddish colour on your eyelid above your upper eye lash line - is that normal for you, or new? If new, maybe it's the start of an 'allergic shiner'.

I really think you shouldn't wear contacts at all while you are using steroids (see above). There's no way steroid has dispersed after 1 hour and your contacts are not daily disposable so the steroid will permeate them. FML has preservatives too.

Is there any chance it could be face products, shampoo or eg shaving foam? I wonder if you can get the GP to refer for patch testing at the allergy clinic.

Are you wearing glasses outside work and in the evenings? Otherwise you will get contact lens over-wear anyway. Seriously x

PS Try changing your pillow and duvet for anti-allergy ones. Most people's pillows are v unhealthy and need changing/hot washing more often.

[Impreza19]

Even if i did get cataracts, it would just persuade me to get an IOL, would get rid of cataracts and cure my short sightedness all at once.
Its not always always the left eye, the right eye is affected as well, but not as bad. The lower lid in my left eye is often redder though.
The red on my eyelid isnt new, well it has always been there, but it gets worse when i have a flare up. What does it mean if a steroid permeates the contact lens? Im not using them much anyway, FML doesnt do anything to help.

I do want a mast cell stabilizer/anti histamine combo though. I dont use any face products except Lynx shower gel and anti allergy moisturiser. I always put my right contact lens in first.
And yes i wear glasses at any given opperunity.

[littlemermaid]

This is crazy talk, but IOL surgery is tough and risky with dry inflamed eyes, finding the right surgeon interested in pre- and post-surgery management is challenging in UK, and even with someone extraordinary you would have to accept it may well be unsuccessful and do more eye surface damage.

Careful with FML - they should give you a 'blitz and taper' regime according to the inflammation they see in the slit-lamp microscope, not leaving you to self-medicate without guidance.

If the steroid, esp with preservative, soaks into the contact lens it would damage the eye surface one way or another, by changing its structure and function.The Vicious Circle - Prof Christophe Baudouin What you want to achieve is a spiral of improvement and eliminate any problems on the eye surface or eyelids.

We tried systemic antihistamine Loratadine and mast cell stabiliser sodium cromoglicate - easily available. These didn't work for us because it turned out to be chronic meibomian gland dysfunction due to rosacea rather than allergy.

See NHS website 'allergy eye' for available meds. http://www.nhs.uk/medicine-guides

Are you still getting flare-ups with glasses?

Good luck Wednesday, hope you get a great doc who you're comfortable with for a really good look and a chance to answer all these questions.

[Impreza19]

IOL surgery is done in the thousands every week on older people who have developed age related cataracts. Infact my 80 something grandmother had it done last year, she had eye dryness so bad that she couldnt open her eyes in the morning.
The IOL surgery was a breeze and a year on her eyes look fine and she says her vision is good. It isnt a procedure that frequently goes wrong from my research and what ive been told. Its also commonly done for patients with high myopia, so if anything i would be a good candidate for it.
prior to the surgery i would of course stop using contact lenses altogether probably for a good 6 months.
I gave up on FML, i keep the bottle anyway but dont use it. Are those mass cell and antihistamine drops you mentioned over the counter?

[littlemermaid]

Good luck with the research, Impreza. Using the NHS links I gave you, you can get advice from a good pharmacist. Look for the new Pharmacy Clinics on the premises. They are trained in medication counselling so they can advise about eg steroids and contact lenses better than optometrists and maybe some ophthalmologists.

FML expires in 4 weeks so chuck it away because it will be infected.

Find an NHS cornea/anterior segment consultant to properly diagnose and treat you (or private practice if you're getting nowhere - you can research who's who through the NHS hospital websites), successfully manage your eyes, and get current medical advice on your conditions.

You will know that a private eye surgery provider is not adequately regulated, will not counsell you, and continues to charge for any problems arising, currently without reparation through the law (maybe Google 'PIP implant' to see how the NHS feels about this).

[Impreza19]

How would i go about finding an NHS consultant? Would i have to go to the GP? I was refered from my GP to the hospital i go to now, though im not getting anywhere.
The whole thing is making me depressed, might be going back on Prozac

[littlemermaid]

It is flippin' depressing trying to get access to a good ophthalmologist sometimes. Officially you get referral through a GP but I've found that high street opticians are better at it, knowing who's who, reputation etc.

Check your regional teaching hospital Eye Clinics cornea consultant list. Ask Patient Liaison Service for help understanding the system.

TBH when all that's done, consider picking one and going Private at the same time for a good conversation - on the basis that you are dragging on undiagnosed. This gives you a feeling of control again.

Get your optician on the job too. She should know this stuff.

Keep your hopes up for Wednesday though. You might get a good 'un and that Clinic is responsible for you so you need to keep them on-board. Make a list of questions for them, as difficult as possible so they have to escalate to the boss.

I'm thinking ask the GP for counselling before Prozac. Eye problems are particularly hellish and you need support. If GP is no good, use internet Google '[your region or PCT] counselling' or phone local eye charities for advice on what's available. Seriously. If you are hesitant, treat it like a business decision or a getting your car or hair fixed. Obtaining or contracting-in services.

Our best technique has been to keep wandering about asking for help and advice from everyone. Then we ended up with good eye management. At first it was difficult to realise that many professionals didn't know what to do about the condition and didn't say so, and didn't refer elsewhere, and that we should've maybe moved on earlier instead of waiting months for appointments. You are always entitled to 'second opinion' through anyone on the GP's NHS 'Choose & Book' system. You would say that the docs you've seen don't know what's wrong.

Your best friend if you've got confused docs is still the NHS website treatment and service guidelines and National Clinical Guidelines (links above).

[Impreza19]

Whenever i have inquired at opticians they always at best write a note to show my gp and get the gp to give me a referal.
Where do i check that list you mentioned? I am in leicestershire if that helps. A specialist in eye allergies would be perfect, but i dont think such a profession even exists.

[Impreza19]

also would wearing RGP lenses help maybe?

[littlemermaid]

Check your Personal Messages, Impreza. Hope someone else replies to you about lenses.

I'm thinking Lynx shower gel is evil stuff on your face and eyes in terms of harsh ingredients and you might want try hypoallergenic washes and products (no perfumes, sodium lauryl sulphate or parabens) or just good old plain soap till this is sorted. What if you are allergic to perfumes? Worth a try.

We are gently cleaning the eyes with warm sterile (kettle) water and cotton wool, or a steamy flannel eg in the shower or bath, to keep blepharitis away.

[Impreza19]

Apparently i have no signs of bleph or GPC, they all think its an allergy, but to what, they have no idea.
Tried using sodium cromoglicate to no avail, currently self prescribed chloramphenicol to see if that helps. Nothing seems to work, depression at an all time high