Hooray for Specsavers - new diagnosis - very happy!!

[Tetley]

Okay, I've written on here quite a few times in the past about my eye problems, my progress (or lack of) from going to the doctors and then being referred to the eye hospital and I thought I was getting somewhere. Anyway, a year or two on from my first visiting the Doctor I seemed to have got no-where, the eye doctor doesn't seem to know or care, I'm not working and am depressed and taking anti-depressants.

So far, not good.

Anyway, today my amazing partner decided to drag me down to see a new opticians (Spec-Savers), I go in and within about 3 minutes this young guy has already picked up on something that the whole of the NHS Eye-Hospital hasn't picked up in about 1-2 years after many appointments.
He seems to be sure that I have "Decompensating Exophoria" which is absolutely nothing to do with anything which has been suggested before. He said its not a disease or allergy that's the problem, but the actual movement in my eyes and the fact that they don't work together.

I am so over the moon, I've been down and feeling a complete fraud about this for a while as nobody seemed to be able to find anything significant.

Has anyone else been told they have something like this or been completely miss-diagnosed by the NHS?

Your thoughts and advice are appreciated

[SallyP]

Same experience, different diagnosis

Yep, not the same diagnosis, but I have recently posted a thread about doctor -v- opticians, and funnily enough I went to my specsavers opticician last Friday to check my punctal plugs were OK, and he, also within minutes of checking, said I didn't have dry eyes, but a form of blepharitis, and advised me of a different regime. He also suffered from it, and knew exactly what I was talking about. I was so grateful, I nearly cried, and embarrassingly shook his hand, possibly rather more enthusiastically than was necessary! i cannot understand how a "top" consultant didn't pick this up within 18 months of regular visits, instead of continually saying it's "dry eye", take the drops, and get on with it. Also, as another sufferer pointed out dry eye is caused by something else. I would certainly recommend a trip to the opticians, just as an extra opinion, you never know!

[Smithy K]

Hiya

Specsavers were a godsend to me too!

I went to see the GP last May/June when my eyes started going bloodshot and itchy in the mornings. Was firstly misdiagnosed with Conjunctavitis, took the drops which I later read on the enclosed leaflet... "do not take with dry eye" GREAT! When it didnt clear up I went back and he said "Hayfever"... I damn well knew it wasnt hayfever. So I then took myself off to Specsavers and he was absoloutley great. Said it was mostly Blepharitis, and evaporative dry eye. So I now use Visco tears on his recommendation (he even uses it!). Wish I had gone there to start off with.

Still dont know what triggered this condition tho. I had a lovely weekend...outdoors most of it and a few alchoholic drinkie poos, then I pay for it today...the usual cycle !!! (am getting used to the cycle now) One eye had a red ring around the Iris this morning,wow soooo attractive!!!!!

I am constantly looking at peoples eyes now adays. I am thinking people are always noticing my reddish/bloodshot eyes :O(. But I suppose worse things happen at sea as they say. It could be a hell of a lot worse.

Karen

[SallyP]

I also do things and "pay" for it later in the day or accumulatively days later. I rarely wear eye make up anymore, but on the occasions I do, it makes my eyes much worse, but some times I just have to be as normal as possible, and suffer the consequences, and I know from reading this site, my eyes could be so much worse.

[Smithy K]

Me again!

Had a lovely weekend - mostly outdoors - BBQs, gardening - a few Buds (ok so prob ten!) and Now I am paying for it again !!!!! Eyes dry as your hat - not so painful, just more red and want to stay shut! Same old vicious circle. I know they will be back to normal in two/three days (under control I mean) - oh then another BBQ !!!!! and it all starts again. Atleast the alcohol doesnt affect my eyes like it did this time last year - blood red, after one drink !

I just cannot face going abroad anymore tho not after last years episode in Majorca - it was terrible. Outdoors everyday, in the dry hot sun - BAD for dry eyes. Bloodshot Red everyday, overtearing/pain.... Makes me sad. Just wish I was normal again!


But there are worse people than me.

[SallyP]

Hi

I haven't been abroad for years, mainly because my fear of flying became worse, and I couldn't face it, and am in fact happy to stay in England, but I cannot tolerate the sun/heat (even the little we get in the UK), so I guess a holiday abroad wouldn't be a good idea. I did wonder though whether, as people are always saying, it's a different heat abroad, I may be OK, but I guess not.

Take care

[Rich S.]

Me again!

Had a lovely weekend - mostly outdoors - BBQs, gardening - a few Buds (ok so prob ten!) and Now I am paying for it again !!!!! Eyes dry as your hat - not so painful, just more red and want to stay shut! Same old vicious circle. I know they will be back to normal in two/three days (under control I mean) - oh then another BBQ !!!!! and it all starts again. Atleast the alcohol doesnt affect my eyes like it did this time last year - blood red, after one drink !

I just cannot face going abroad anymore tho not after last years episode in Majorca - it was terrible. Outdoors everyday, in the dry hot sun - BAD for dry eyes. Bloodshot Red everyday, overtearing/pain.... Makes me sad. Just wish I was normal again!


But there are worse people than me.

Having big dry eye problems all the time anyway i have my bad days i have my very bad days but now just one small bottle of larger and thats it eyes worse than ever literaly in minutes of having a few sips,then suffer for hours!

ive also noticed the same happens to my eyes if i eat hot spicy curries! ugh!

So sad this dry eye!

Rich