Update..

[acarol]

Well went for my appointment with the Eye Specialist and she said she could see very little dryness in my eye (yet i have all the symptoms and pain!!). She examined my eyes with the slit lamp and also inserted dyes to check tear break up time, she said she could see very little dryness. She said there was a little inflammation under the eyelid alright. She prescribed me Vexol - its a steroid drop.
What do ye think? Am i back to square one again.........

[GrandmaPatti]

Vexol

Hi,

I looked up Vexol on the internet and one of its usages is to treat uveitis. If you look that up on wikipedia there is a good description and some pictures. Perhaps that's what your doctor thinks your problem is. The good news is that it is not necessarily chronic. You can call your doctor to see what she says.

I've applied steroid ointment on the eyelid in the past (for a dermtitis) and it started helping a little right away and then took about a week for all symptoms to go away. I've never used steroid drops. If you don't see improvement in a few days, you might want to let your doctor know so she can determine if there needs to be change of medication.

Good luck!

[acarol]

thanks for that - the eye specialist seems unsure of what the problem is, she seems bit puzzled by my symptoms and can't really see anything wrong after examination of my eyes but i know myself there is a problem, my eyes just don't feel comfortable at all and its really affecting my life at the minute.
Don't think the vexol are helping although i've only been using it few days yet. Could those drops do further damage?

[GrandmaPatti]

Update

So sorry to hear that the med is not helping yet but you might want to give it a few more days. Also, were you given directions on how to put the drops in you eyes. They'll be more effective if done properly. Keep your eyes closed gently for 1 to 2 minutes after you instill them and GENTLY wipe away any drops that overflow outside your eye.

Cool compresses (not ice) may help the stinging as well. I find it very effective if I keep rotating the damp cloth to the 'cool side' during the process. I leave the compress on as long as it takes to 'cool' the stinging. (Enjoy the opportunity to relax your eyes.) And you can do it as often as you want but I would not do it for a half hour or so after you instill the drops. The med may not absorb as well.

Do remember, I'm not a doctor so be sure to stay in close contact with her.

Hope things start improving soon. The Vexol shouldn't harm your eyes if it's used as directed unless you're allergic to the ingredients. But if you feel that the pain is getting worse or have new symptoms, call your doctor.

Patti

[acarol]

Thanks so much for your advice - it really helps to know i'm not alone, how are your eyes at the minute? Ya maybe i need to give it more time - i was told to use the drops for two weeks. Whats really bothering me is the Eye Specialist didn't really know what was wrong - its kind of worrying, i'm thinking should i get a scan done or something? What you think?

[GrandmaPatti]

Re: Update

My eyes are tolerable today, thanks. I'm trying a new regimen of OTC drops, along with cool or warm compresses, ibuprofen, a steroid ointment around my eyes that my dermatologist gave me and night eye shades. I've replaced the suggested nightime ointment with a drop that is 1% carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and it provided a big improvement last night on how my eyes felt in the middle of the night and morning. I'm hoping that I'll keep improving.
Patience to find an effective treatment is really hard for me but I'm trying.

I haven't found a doctor that I have confidence in yet but plan to work on that when we return home (I'm visiting my new grandson ). You may want to give the drops a chance to work then talk to your doctor about any needed changes to your treatment. Apparently, your doctor is currently treating the symptoms, but your response to the eyedrops may give her more information to make a more specific diagnosis. If you don't have confidence in her at your follow-up, you might consider trying to find another doctor that is interested in working with you.

I don't know if a scan is warranted or not and don't know which kind would provide any useful info. Maybe someone else could provide advice on that. I'm going to get the book that Rebecca recommends, perhaps that would give you more relevant info so you'd know whether it is appropriate to request a scan.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that the drops will start to give you relief.

Patti

[acarol]

Thank you - so grateful for your advice and time and glad to hear you are making progress yourself. My eyes this morning now when i awoke were quite dry whereas the last two morning since taking the drops they weren't - which is quite strange, sometimes i feel there improving then BANG back to square one again. Could i possibly have 'Dry Eye' and the Doctor just didn't see it on that particular day?

[GrandmaPatti]

Drops

I wish I knew what the problem is because I experience the same thing. I'll get good relief from a new OTC drop for a few days then my eyes will feel as bad or worse than if I used nothing. I've wondered if it's the placebo effect or an allergic response to one of the "inactive ingredients". Maybe someone else that reads this will have an idea.

Patti

[Jade]

I've also thought something is working for me, and then my symptoms will come back. I seem to have my ups and downs no matter what current therapy I'm using.

[acarol]

Its very frustrating isn't it, some days i feel as if they are getting better then BANG back to square one again... I always look at people with clear white eyes in envy......... I wish there was a cure for us.

[Judy]

It is very frustrating at times. I'm very envious of people with white clear eyes also. Even though I feel very vain when thinking this way. I should have appreciated my eyes more back when I was younger and did have white, clear, bright eyes... Oy Vay...

[acarol]

I know i often think this too - that i didn't appreciate my eyes when they were 'normal'... I often look back at photographs and reminise. From a distance my eyes don't look too bad but up close you can see all these red veins - in the right eye in particular (that on top of the dryness). My eyes used to be my best feature - big and brown but now there a mess

[Judy]

Hi Acarol, I can't believe you said that about your eyes. I almost wrote the same thing previously. My big brown eyes were my best asset. Too funny... Well not really, but you gotta laugh sometimes

[acarol]

Ya thats funny! I suspose we have to laugh sometimes... I kinda had gotton over the red veins at one stage but then my eyes started to get really sore, dry and irriated and started to obess about them again.

[lboogie]

the thing with me is that the whites of my eyes are generally clear, just a vein or 2 near the nose............it's more of the general puffy, dark circles, and haggard look. I'm way too young to look like this!!!!

For lasik folks..........has you appearance gotten better with time and healing?

~Laura