Better at last.....please read

[SallyP]

Yes,sorry, I didn't make that clear, between the upper lid and the eye. The optician used what felt like a lolly stick to pull the upper lid up (not the best experience) to see under the lid.

[wetEyes]

Okay, and what did these lumps consist of?

[SallyP]

OK, you got me, I can't answer that one! They were full of annoyance and frustration!!!

Sorry, seriously, I don't know, I must admit I didn't ask.

[magoo]

Here's a picture of the upper inner eyelid showing the bumps from allergy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21453476@N03/4039579029/

[SallyP]

Thank you.......

Hi, thank you so much for that, very interesting. Looks awful, no wonder I'd been in so much discomfort. As I said, I didn't ask too much about them at the time, to be honest when the optician first told me , I just thought here we go again, what page of the book have they stuck a pin in for a diagnosis this time!

I'm going to have a full allergy test from 50 different possibilities, won't be on the NHS, but worth it to know, as I don't want to be on such a high dose of the current drops I'm on, as they have the preservatives in.

Thanks again for your time in putting that picture on for us.


Sally

[whyme?]

hi - how long did u use the allergy eyedrops before you

saw an improvement?

followed your advice - have used it for two weeks - no relief - when did u improve?

[SallyP]

Hi, and Hi everybody on the site, I have't been on for a while. My eyes are still good, and I'm gradually reducing the drops. I think mine took about 2 weeks to get better. However, having been to the hospital consultant since, he thinks what I was describing was conjunctiva......and I cannot remember the rest, which makes sense because all of the problems started after I'd had severe conjunctivitis in both eyes, although he said there was no sign of it now. He said I was to cut down on the drops and if the symptoms returned, I'd need prescription steroid cream to get rid of it. It's taken my some time to pluck up the courage to cut down, but I am, and they seem OK, just get bit sore in certain lights though and I take great care of my eyes still and don't wear alot of make up regularly, just not worth the risk of upsetting things.

He was quite rude to me and I didn't feel I could ask anything else, but what I plan to do is go to my doctor and ask to see the letter the hospital sent. So what I'll do, if it's OK, is find out exactly what it is he said I had, and I promise I'll get back to you. Can you go to the optician and ask them to check the lids. I found the opticians the most helpful and were always happy to listen to my ideas. I owe that optician and awful lot!

[irish eyes]

He was quite rude to me and I didn't feel I could ask anything else, but what I plan to do is go to my doctor and ask to see the letter the hospital sent. So what I'll do, if it's OK, is find out exactly what it is he said I had, and I promise I'll get back to you. Can you go to the optician and ask them to check the lids. I found the opticians the most helpful and were always happy to listen to my ideas. I owe that optician and awful lot!

Hi Sally

Pleased to hear that things seem to be heading in the right direction.

Consultants being rude???? Surely not! When I have had a negative encounter with a consultant, it certainly has an effect on instruction recall and, unsurprisingly, treatment compliance /adherence. You would think they would know that but I think there's a way to go yet.

I have seen most consultants' letters sent on to my GP and one stands out in memory - I could only conclude that the consultant had used another patient's details because apart from the name, there was no comparison at all. According to him, my eyes were a bit on the dry side but otherwise fine and I was luckier than many others he met in the clinic.

Depending on the optician, I suppose you could ask them to check the lids - they would probably be able to do this in a routine eye test anyway. I've met with a few who have gained considerable expertise by working in hospital departments so they can be a great resource. They also meet with consultants and I'm sure they would recognise the anecdote about some of them being rude or arrogant. They are not all like that though, as I've learnt.

[feemac]

Preservative free allergy eye drops

Hi,
am very interested in your story Sally as your symptoms sound so similar to mine - am just not keen on trying the drops with preservative in. I've been to the chemist today to ask for preservative free allergy drops, and she said there is no product listed in her BNF (?) book either over the counter or on prescription that is available here (I'm in the UK). I did see the Potters allclear ones on the shelf, but they didn't say they were for allergies, so sounded more like artifical tears to me (which I have enough of to sink a battleship!)
Just wondering if anyone could give me a name of a product which might help.
Thanks

[whyme?]

preservative free sodium cromoglicate drops now available in the UK

the hayfever allergy drops produced by boots and opticrom contain sodium cromoglicate and the dreaded BAK. these drops need to be used four times a day!! so dry eyes and a lot of BAK can lead to erosions.

finally in the uk we have a allergy eyedrop without BAK, it is called CATACROM and comes as single dose vials - it is made by Moorfields eye hospital.

It is available on NHS prescritpion and over the counter. Some doctors have said my symptoms are due to allergies - so I am going to give them a go! they are quite expensive - i think nine pounds for 30 vials - but one vial four times a day means 36 pounds a month!

[irish eyes]

You wouldn't go through 30 vials in a week?

Couldn't you get your doctor to prescribe them for you? Generally, if it's repeat stuff then you get 3 months supply and only pay for one lot. That's how my prescriptions work anyway.

I noticed that the information leaflet said that you must be sure it's an allergy. It sounds as though one would have to go through the whole procedure of allergy testing to prove to the doctor that this was indeed the `cause'. I paid to go through this some years ago and it was costly - although I didn't begrudge doing it if it was going to sort me out. It didn't.

Do you mind me asking it where you got it from (OTC)

[stella]

Whyme -- Catacrom single dose vials ---
I got a lot of those over the counter when i was in France last year - They are called Cromodoses over there -- Sodium cromoglicate -- I think is the generic name.They were pretty cheap and readily available at any local chemist
Unfortunately they did not help me very much
I am really glad they are over here now