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Recently an ENT doctor discussed with me the potential of otits media to affect and inflame certain facial nerves ( e.g. trigeminal nerve) that also regulate the nasolacrimal unit's functions and can lead to neurologically induced dry eye.
I had never heard of such a possibility before and was wondering whether anyone has been diagnosed with something like that? I had a major episode of otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear) just before the onset of my dry eye-- i remember it because it lasted for quite a long time and involved vestibular disease (could not keep balance when standing or walking). It was really scary.
Doctor says there are many cases of chronic middle ear inflammation which do not present with the signs and symptoms of the acute type of the disease, but still lead to dry eye and/or facial pain as a side effect/complication of the neuronal involvement in the inflammation.
I seem to find symptoms of this shared by others on the forum in threads like the following for example:
Facial pain and dry eye: http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showthread.php?t=10555
http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...inal+neuralgia
Also, on the website of the Boston Foundation for Sight, damage to the trigeminal nerve is listed as the cause for so-called anaesthetic corneas and consequently dry eye.
Anyone suspecting that chronic/ acute otitis media might be causing their dry eyes? is there any treatmeent targeting this type of dry eye? anyone has any idea?
Thanks for any thoughts ....
Dani
I had never heard of such a possibility before and was wondering whether anyone has been diagnosed with something like that? I had a major episode of otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear) just before the onset of my dry eye-- i remember it because it lasted for quite a long time and involved vestibular disease (could not keep balance when standing or walking). It was really scary.
Doctor says there are many cases of chronic middle ear inflammation which do not present with the signs and symptoms of the acute type of the disease, but still lead to dry eye and/or facial pain as a side effect/complication of the neuronal involvement in the inflammation.
I seem to find symptoms of this shared by others on the forum in threads like the following for example:
Facial pain and dry eye: http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showthread.php?t=10555
http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...inal+neuralgia
Also, on the website of the Boston Foundation for Sight, damage to the trigeminal nerve is listed as the cause for so-called anaesthetic corneas and consequently dry eye.
Anyone suspecting that chronic/ acute otitis media might be causing their dry eyes? is there any treatmeent targeting this type of dry eye? anyone has any idea?
Thanks for any thoughts ....
Dani