Do I have dry eye?

[soreeyes]

I think I have dry eye but not sure. Symptoms include :

Eyelids feeling very heavy in the mornin when I wake up

Get the "menthol effect" and find it hard to keep looking in one direction

Eyes are sore & itchy all the time (really annoying)

Swollen lids in morning but as day goes on my eyes look perfectly normal but still sore

I only ever get this problem when the weather gets good/warm I never have it in the winter time when its cold

what do you think?

thanks

[Rebecca Petris]

Nobody can answer that accurately just based on symptoms. You need to see an eye doctor. I'd recommend having a look at this article: http://www.dryeyezone.com/encyclopedia/diagnosis.html before an appointment. I'd also ask specifically about ocular allergies because of the itching and swelling.

[soreeyes]

thanks for reply Rebecca I have been to my GP and they just say its allergies and give me allergy drops but they never work hence why I think it could be dry eye.

[Rebecca Petris]

thanks for reply Rebecca I have been to my GP and they just say its allergies and give me allergy drops but they never work hence why I think it could be dry eye.

You're probably right. But there's just no substitute for a proper exam. You need to see a good optometrist or ophthalmologist. A GP is absolutely the wrong person for anything related to dry eye. Actually we have a hard enough time getting decent care even from specialists. GPs are more likely to misdiagnose and (worse) give drops that will actually make you worse.

The allergy thing is kind of elusive sometimes: It may be that you only have eye allergy symptoms because of underlying dryness, because a healthy tear film can do a better job of keeping your eyes protected against environmental stresses & allergens.

We have a lot of UK members here and I'm sure they can help with pointers for how to get better care either on NHS or private.

[irish eyes]

We have a lot of UK members here and I'm sure they can help with pointers for how to get better care either on NHS or private.

Soreeyes.
Your GP isn't the right person to advise you on this condition if it goes on for too long; my GP is great but she would agree with me on this. To be fair to your GP, s/he probably sees a lot of people who present with similar symptoms and the `treatment' works.

It can be notoriously difficult to persuade a GP to make a referral but you must persist. This can be fraught with difficulties because you need to see a consultant who has the necessary expertise - and interest. When you go via the NHS, this expertise cannot be guaranteed.

You will probably have a lengthy wait for an appointment; then you will have a meeting that may only last a number of minutes. Don't get me wrong - this isn't everyone's experience and I don't wish to malign the NHS in any way - it's just how it is.

By going private, you are still seeing consultants who work with the NHS but at least there is more time for a thorough examination. Costs will vary; it's normally higher to see someone `very senior' although it isn't always the case that they are `better'. My current consultant is relatively young but he is eager to build up experience of dry eye. It would be a pity if he inherited his colleague's arrogance (who I met several times in the past and was completely dismissive)

If you haven't already done so, read the article suggested by Rebecca