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Hi everyone, I'm glad to have found this supportive forum since I don't think anyone else really understands what we're going through!
I'm a 26-year-old female who had worn contacts for a decade until recently. I saw a tiny white dot on my right iris a few months ago and my optometrist told me it was a corneal ulcer probably from over-wearing contacts. She prescribed me a steroid drop to take for 4 days. It healed but left a tiny scar that wasn't visible to the naked eye. I was also told to stay away from contacts for a month and to use Refresh Plus tears 4x a day since she saw dry spots.
Things went all right for 3 weeks. For the last week before I could wear contacts again I had a 3 day weekend where I suppose I used the computer for way too long because my eyes became painful (like a pulling sensation or soreness), so dry, vein-y, and light sensitive. I used to be all right with looking at a computer with maximum brightness but now I turn it all the way down. Well, I took a break from the computer all together (I could barely stand looking at it) and felt a lot better, so I proceeded to try contact lens at the 1 month mark. I wore it for 3 hours only because it didn't really feel comfortable. When I took it out my eyes had a bit of pinkness (like a cloud) on one side of my iris. I went back to my optometrist and she said that my eyes were just dry - no infections, no allergies, and that I should just wear glasses from now on.
A week or two later I headed to see an ophthalmologist anyway since I wanted a 2nd opinion. I was using artificial tears 6x a day at this point. The day of my appointment I used it 2x before seeing the doctor. They checked my eye pressure, dilated my pupils, flipped my eyelids, and looked at my eyes from every angle but found nothing. I was told my eyes were "very healthy" and that "they don't look dry"... I asked, "Would I have to use artificial tears forever?" and she said to just keep using it until I managed to cut down. As for contact lens she actually told me I could start wearing them anytime.
I don't understand because my eyes don't feel like they were before the infection. Aside from the dryness, my eyes feel cold - like there's wind blowing into them when I walk around. Sometimes itchy. Once in a while I'll feel the pulling/sore sensation again or slight blurriness. For my right eye (the one that was infected), I'll find white mucus (it looks like dried white paint) on the outer corner and I can hear myself blink. The dryness is worst when I first wake up (sometimes it's okay, other times it feels gritty).
I did some reading on here and thought maybe I should see my ophthalmologist again for a dry eye evaluation. However, my primary care doctor thinks that since they thought everything was fine the first time that I should just keep using tears 4x/day for at least another 3 months. She thinks my tear film is unstable because the ulcer scar isn't making everything smooth.. but then I don't get why my left eye feels these symptoms, too and not just my right eye?
I bought a sleeping mask, started taking flaxseed oil 1300mg and washing my eyelash line with diluted baby shampoo/water everyday, doing hot compresses a few times a week, and using artificial tears 4x/day. Should I try using a night time ointment? Is there anything else I should do..? The doctors just keep telling me to give it time and I'm concerned if maybe that isn't enough.
I have been sticking to glasses, which really killed my self-esteem but I guess I'm getting used to it.. I'd love to be able to wear contacts again and not even for full time wear like I did previously (I'm too scared, haha) but it'd be nice for a night out or for special occasions.. but I really don't know if that's possible. I've been feeling all sorts of negative emotions since this all happened - the stress, anxiety, depression, etc. so thank you so much for taking the time to read all of this. If anyone has any advice or suggestions, I'd greatly appreciate it.
I'm a 26-year-old female who had worn contacts for a decade until recently. I saw a tiny white dot on my right iris a few months ago and my optometrist told me it was a corneal ulcer probably from over-wearing contacts. She prescribed me a steroid drop to take for 4 days. It healed but left a tiny scar that wasn't visible to the naked eye. I was also told to stay away from contacts for a month and to use Refresh Plus tears 4x a day since she saw dry spots.
Things went all right for 3 weeks. For the last week before I could wear contacts again I had a 3 day weekend where I suppose I used the computer for way too long because my eyes became painful (like a pulling sensation or soreness), so dry, vein-y, and light sensitive. I used to be all right with looking at a computer with maximum brightness but now I turn it all the way down. Well, I took a break from the computer all together (I could barely stand looking at it) and felt a lot better, so I proceeded to try contact lens at the 1 month mark. I wore it for 3 hours only because it didn't really feel comfortable. When I took it out my eyes had a bit of pinkness (like a cloud) on one side of my iris. I went back to my optometrist and she said that my eyes were just dry - no infections, no allergies, and that I should just wear glasses from now on.
A week or two later I headed to see an ophthalmologist anyway since I wanted a 2nd opinion. I was using artificial tears 6x a day at this point. The day of my appointment I used it 2x before seeing the doctor. They checked my eye pressure, dilated my pupils, flipped my eyelids, and looked at my eyes from every angle but found nothing. I was told my eyes were "very healthy" and that "they don't look dry"... I asked, "Would I have to use artificial tears forever?" and she said to just keep using it until I managed to cut down. As for contact lens she actually told me I could start wearing them anytime.
I don't understand because my eyes don't feel like they were before the infection. Aside from the dryness, my eyes feel cold - like there's wind blowing into them when I walk around. Sometimes itchy. Once in a while I'll feel the pulling/sore sensation again or slight blurriness. For my right eye (the one that was infected), I'll find white mucus (it looks like dried white paint) on the outer corner and I can hear myself blink. The dryness is worst when I first wake up (sometimes it's okay, other times it feels gritty).
I did some reading on here and thought maybe I should see my ophthalmologist again for a dry eye evaluation. However, my primary care doctor thinks that since they thought everything was fine the first time that I should just keep using tears 4x/day for at least another 3 months. She thinks my tear film is unstable because the ulcer scar isn't making everything smooth.. but then I don't get why my left eye feels these symptoms, too and not just my right eye?
I bought a sleeping mask, started taking flaxseed oil 1300mg and washing my eyelash line with diluted baby shampoo/water everyday, doing hot compresses a few times a week, and using artificial tears 4x/day. Should I try using a night time ointment? Is there anything else I should do..? The doctors just keep telling me to give it time and I'm concerned if maybe that isn't enough.
I have been sticking to glasses, which really killed my self-esteem but I guess I'm getting used to it.. I'd love to be able to wear contacts again and not even for full time wear like I did previously (I'm too scared, haha) but it'd be nice for a night out or for special occasions.. but I really don't know if that's possible. I've been feeling all sorts of negative emotions since this all happened - the stress, anxiety, depression, etc. so thank you so much for taking the time to read all of this. If anyone has any advice or suggestions, I'd greatly appreciate it.
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