Greetings!

[ShellyB]

Hi gang!
Thank goodness for sites like this - when one has a disability whatever it may be - its good to know you are not alone and that there is help and advice out there! - I have suffered over a year now right eye - as though a hot rod going thru my eye - i have not been to the doctors as yet, my optician told me what i had after years of being told it was migraine!!?? - She advised lacrulube ointment to put on before bed - this i have done but feels gritty on a morning? - I have tried artificial tear drops - they seemed to help - but stung for a while. I am having a really bad day today - i work 40 hours on a computer and have just managed to take my sunglasses off to start to work (been at work 2 hours doing nothing!!??) This is causing me great stress and my boss is starting to get rather annoyed i cannot work until my eye adjusts to the light! - He is very good i left an hour earlier last night as he saw what pain i was in - i don't have the office lights on and try to take rests away from the computer - but in this day and age when all my work is on this darn machine i have no choice but to "crack on"
I would love to go part-time but finances say otherwise at the moment
I have read other posts and have picked up some good tips from you all - im 48 and have been told my age and the fact i have rosesea does not help!
Im going out of my mind now and feel quite depressed with the whole thing!
Any help or words of comfort please - im very squeemish about eyes as it is and reading some of the posts about op's etc.. is making me worse!
I hope and await for some replies - thank you for reading!

ShellyB

[littlemermaid]

Yorkshire suggestions

Hi! Time for a proper assessment for cause, possible underlying conditions (hot rod, one eye?), esp. since livelihood depends on this. NHS Choose & Book for teaching hospital ophthalmology dept http://www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories...iceSearch.aspx

St James's University Hospital (formerly Leeds General Infirmary) (outpatients Otley, Leeds, Middleton) http://www.leedsteachinghospitals.co...nsultantID=300

Same guys private at Yorkshire Eye Hospital (phone up, pay under £200 for assessment) eg http://www.yorkshireeyehospital.co.u...s/andrew-chung

Or Calderdale and Huddersfield (Mr Teifi James is sympathetic http://www.teifijames.com/pages/1/pa...=1143732487491)
http://www.cht.nhs.uk/services/clini...lmic-services/

You may discover you know more about it from this website than they do if it is dry eye (esp new registrars or dinosaur docs) but they need to check there's no underlying condition. Take checklist from this website (tear consistency, tear film, meibomian glands, bacterial?) and exact history of symptoms typed up to give them.

Also you need to be on someone's NHS list for follow up check ups long term (we got quick private assessment secretly). If you can find an NHS ophth triage unit locally you've cracked it. Some hospitals have ophth triage nurse (turn up looking awful). Let us know how you get on! (PS single use Celluvisc may not sting, no preservatives, Boots £12, Lloyds £7 for 30. Humidifier next to desk may help - Argos £15.). Haven't seen the above doctors - some people here may I have. Don't worry, people don't post to say they're feeling good and the treatment's great (ours is fine) - you just need an ophth you like for some good advice - but don't delay, let's just get it sorted, take a pal along to drive you to appointments.

[irish eyes]

ShellyB

You really MUST start getting this sorted.

OK, you will see that many of us are still struggling but don't think there is nothing at all that can be done. I've found it helps to keep in the medical `loop' even though I found the NHS inadequate (on this matter anyway - ) and I now see someone privately.

My optician is reasonably knowledgeable because he spends a fair bit of time at one of the big teaching hospitals and sees a lot of people like me in the course of his work - so he does show interest when I need a new pair of specs.


Mention it to your doctor; it certainly appears to be affecting quality of life. I ticked the disability & health box when I applied for my current role so my employers have made `reasonable adjustments' under the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act). My workplace isn't too difficult to cope with and I'm lucky that I have some flexibility to my day.


PS - I live in Yorkshire too.

[littlemermaid]

Manchester

Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, new, 'one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe, 2nd largest in UK' http://www.cmft.nhs.uk/royal-eye/home.aspx. Eyeball heaven. Don't have to stick to your primary care trust.

If you have any trouble getting sensible GP or optometrist referral, use nurse triage in Emergency Eye Centres like this at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital http://www.cmft.nhs.uk/royal-eye/eme...-services.aspx. Emphasise stabbing pain one eye only, photophobia, vision probs.

Some of these guys private http://www.centre-for-vision.com/index.html.

Irisheyes and I are recommending teaching hospitals because we have met dinosaur docs in smaller units who haven't caught up on their reading on eye inflammation (of course they don't tell you this themselves but you leave feeling confused and undiagnosed; eg if they give you FML make sure it's for specific time period with decent follow up appointment and they explain about tapering off it again).

PS - I married a southerner, by 'eck.

[irish eyes]

By 'eck - you are a brave woman to share that information.

I agree with your point about the dinosaurs in the smaller units but even teaching hospitals can be hit & miss! If people in training are involved in providing some of the treatment - then there is always the chance that patients may face greater risks.

But - still a better bet than a local hospital whose expertise is likely to be limited to more straightforward cases.

[littlemermaid]

We secretly obtain a second (3rd, 4th...) opinion, having learnt the hard way. Although 2 ophth, 1 optom + seven medical students in quick succession is our best score yet. They like it when you've got something interesting. It'll be fine, ShellyB

[irish eyes]

A photo of the back of my right eye made its way into a medical journal once because it was an interesting case!

Shelly - you will be fine but do ask your GP for a referral.