New Patient please help (uk Based)

[wasp23]

Hi All,


My illness started last October , with pains to my left eye and severe headaches.
I went down the headache route with MRI scan and this came back ok , but the headaches continued and so did the pain to my eyes.

I work as an IT engineer and have been off work since October, my eyes hurt when I try to use the PC for more than 10 mins and I try to read (say two pages of a document.) also when driving or my hobby which was match fishing , I can no longer look at the float for more than 10 mins without my eyes hurting or a burning sensation . above my eyes where i think the tears are produced this always swells up and is very tender to touch. I went to a ophthalmologist who looked at me for 10 mins and said you have mild dry eye and stated my were not responsible for the headaches and sent me on my way.

I have now booked a private appointment with a different ophthalmologist so see if i can get to the bottom of this.

Is there any specific questions i should ask ? or any info you can give me before I Visit.

any help would be gratefully accepted as my missus and 2 small children depend on me.

[littlemermaid]

Seven months off work not good. Hope you weren't waiting for NHS bl***y follow up. Here's what I know so far on how to get help on dry eye in UK NHS at the end of this thread: http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...3038#post53038

I'm not going to say 'trust no one'... because if you get the right person you will be sorted. Headaches unusual - what part of skull?

[wasp23]

The headaches are at the front of my head, they are very severe and i have had them for 7 months everyday in the beginning i couldnt even get out of bed.

I have never suffered from headaches in my life and im now 33 years old.

The headaches only come now if i over strain my eyes . my eyes hurt then follows the headaches.

[littlemermaid]

Any vision disturbance, eg peripheral wavering, trouble finding stairs? (I'm only pretending I know anything about this.) There is a lot they can see on optic nerve and behind eye but you have to find a regional hospital with modern equipment. Check out possible causes on Medscape (just register as yourself no prob.). That ophthalmologist you saw was awful - they should have referred you for detailed ophth neurology investigation, not just MRI.

Blepharitis = doc-speak for sore eyelids, blocked meibomian glands. Make sure you look at your worst when you go for private appointment, ask about: meibomian gland function, tear film break up time and consistency, state of eye surface and any damage, optic nerve (should check through ophthalmoscope with handheld extra lens gadget). Ask wife to check whether eyes are fully closed in sleep, see optometrist for quick check up and prescription in case they notice anything. http://www.dryeyezone.com/faq/index.html

[wasp23]

Thanks for all your kind replys...

My vision is 100% fine, no issues there.

It just feels like my eyes are struggling when trying to do things that causes my eyes to strain.....

[wasp23]

I have got an appointment tomorrow with an opthalmologist that I have paid private to see. Hope she is better than the last one.

Ill let you all know how it goes !!

[littlemermaid]

NHS eye clinic

Excellent! Also check out your NHS options for local teaching hospital eye clinic http://www.nhs.uk/ServiceDirectories...Z.aspx?Index=O

Keep us posted...

[wasp23]

Hi, All

I went to the clinic yesterday and they have found that when they do the finger test (bringing your finger towards your eyes) that I see double at 1ft away.

The issue is that my eyes dont converge , they go in opposite directions.

I now have to try new eye drops and do eye exercises while waiting for a appointment at the optometrist.

The lady said that something as happend and my body has gone out of balance.

The lady was greek so it was a little hard to understand her.

do you folks no anything about this issue.

The other question is why did the last opthalmologist not pick up on this , surley this is a basic test, with me being of work , this really gets me annoyed when im losing money and have to support my family.

[littlemermaid]

Visual convergence - computer users

Progress, hopefully Time for fashionable new glasses may be. Our local hospital ophthalmoscopes look like they're off a skip, xpt consultant has new one no one else is allowed to use. But high street Vision Express, D&A etc seem to have brand new kit, even take photos of your corneal surface, retina etc if you want for unjustified extra £ (make them give them to you in .jpg by email). Prescription is what they do best, hosp ophth depts just say - can you see that poster over there? - in my experience.

Here's some more IT guys to talk to http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showt...reen#post52584 Don't hesitate to speak to your local eye charity for information, they can be fabulous, mainly because they care.

It's like some nightmare game where no one will tell you the rules, isn't it. Get optometrist to refer you to NHS regional teaching hospital ophthalmology dept for long term rather than local clinic where they give you the brush off, esp if it is dry eye or neuro (don't imply for a second to NHS you went private, don't hold back exaggerating symptoms, impact on life).

The lady said that something as happend and my body has gone out of balance.

Like what? Keep going.

[wasp23]

Thanks for the reply,

The lady said that something has changed in my life which has set my body out of balance and therefore caused my eyes to go out of balance.

She said I need to change from within - start by eating loads of fruit and change my lifesyle again to see if things balance up again.

I dont drink or smoke - So this in not a health issue regarding these.

I was working 4 day then a 4 nights shift which screwed my body clock so these could be one of the main contributing factors.

I have been practising today and I can see double fingers about 1ft away.
The practising does make me feel ill and I now believe she may be right and this is reason i have been so Ill.

Are glasses the only way to treat this issue.??

[Rebecca Petris]

The issue is that my eyes dont converge , they go in opposite directions.

The lady said that something has changed in my life which has set my body out of balance and therefore caused my eyes to go out of balance.

She said I need to change from within - start by eating loads of fruit and change my lifesyle again to see if things balance up again.

Oh for heavens sake. Craziest thing I ever heard. - Did they diagnose you with convergence insufficiency or something related? and seriously think changing your diet will help?

With this sort of thing I'd be looking for a pediatric ophthalmologist (or optometrist) if possible because they're the ones with the most experience with eye muscle disorders and convergence issues (since those most frequently happen to children & adolescents). I'm really sorry for what you're going through and hope you can get the right medical professional very soon to get you some real answers and get you back to work quickly!

[wasp23]

Hi Rebecca

I have spoken to my girlfriend and we have gone through the notes and convergence insufficiency is what is on them.

I have an appointment on the NHS that is not private and I think that I should Still see both the opthalmologist and optometrist and not mention what the previous consultant said and see if they pick up.

thanks for all your help

[littlemermaid]

If you want to get seen right now, phone triage nurse for ophthalmology A&E at big regional hospital and describe symptoms, say 'sudden onset' when you describe vision change.

Press for ophthalmic neurology examination (MRI can't see behind eye too well if checking for eg cerebrospinal fluid swelling, this equipment is only at big regional hospitals - send me PM with your location if you want help finding yours). You will have to travel (and get driven back). Possible referral routes to see ophthalmologists: GP, optometrist, or self-refer to triage nurse at specialist eye unit.

No, not just glasses (newly trained optometrist may help diagnose with 'health check' as Rebecca says, tell you what's happening with vision better than ophth). Convergence change may be symptom. Sounds like something weird's going on (severe headaches, pain in one eye); if not, great. Press on till you get sensible diagnosis. Type up thorough notes to take with full history, esp how it started after long hours working in case it's neurology, and hand it over straight away to ophthalmologist: are you telling them this?

above my eyes where i think the tears are produced this always swells up and is very tender to touch