Can they ignore my keratitis too?

[poppy]

I was told recently that I had significant punctate keratitis (by an optometrist). I'm not sure if I've always had this, or perhaps it has only occurred or worsened during the last few months. Recently I've developed aching pains in my eyes (on top of my other pains) and my blurred vision can no longer be cleared by blinking etc, which is what led me to see the optometrist to see if I needed glasses. I'm guessing these issues are from the keratitis.

I'm currently not receiving any form of medical care for my eyes, as all the local eye doctors don't want to treat me. So I just use genteal gel as often as possible.

Just wondering if anyone knows if the eye doctor's "handbook" tell them that keratitis can be ignored just like blepharitis, conjunctivitis, dry eye. If NOT, I may be able to use the keratitis to try to get some treatment? At the moment, the eye docs will only see me when I have a corneal ulcer, and once they've checked that it's healed, they tell me to go away. Its mentally devastating to be dismissed like this, and I don't want to see another eye specialist unless I have some "leverage".

The optometrist I saw wrote a letter to our local public hospital trying to get me in to their eye clinic, where hopefully the eye docs won't be as profit motivated as they are at the lasik factory which is the only other option for eye docs in my city. I don't know if I'll have any luck, but I am just hoping that the keratitis will be considered important enough to at least see me.

[kitty]

You are most likely not being ignored. Treatment depends on the cause. The only causes that require treatment are certain infections and exposure to UV light. You need to do some investigation to figure out the cause:

http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/sec...30/ch230b.html

Almost everyone who has this disorder recovers completely. When the cause is a virus (other than herpes simplex or herpes zoster [shingles]), no treatment is needed, and recovery usually occurs within 3 weeks. When the cause is a bacterial infection or prolonged use of contact lenses, antibiotics are used, and the wearing of contact lenses is temporarily discontinued. When the cause is dry eyes, ointments and artificial tears are effective. Artificial tears are eye drops prepared with substances that simulate real tears or with substances that when added to the person's tears coat the eye with more moisture. When the cause is exposure to ultraviolet light, an antibiotic ointment and an eye drop that dilates the pupil may provide relief. When the cause is a drug reaction or an allergy to eye drops, the drug or eye drops must be discontinued.

[poppy]

You are most likely not being ignored. Treatment depends on the cause. The only causes that require treatment are certain infections and exposure to UV light. You need to do some investigation to figure out the cause:

http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/sec...30/ch230b.html

Almost everyone who has this disorder recovers completely. When the cause is a virus (other than herpes simplex or herpes zoster [shingles]), no treatment is needed, and recovery usually occurs within 3 weeks. When the cause is a bacterial infection or prolonged use of contact lenses, antibiotics are used, and the wearing of contact lenses is temporarily discontinued. When the cause is dry eyes, ointments and artificial tears are effective. Artificial tears are eye drops prepared with substances that simulate real tears or with substances that when added to the person's tears coat the eye with more moisture. When the cause is exposure to ultraviolet light, an antibiotic ointment and an eye drop that dilates the pupil may provide relief. When the cause is a drug reaction or an allergy to eye drops, the drug or eye drops must be discontinued.

Hi Kitty, I guess that answers my question. Since I have dry eye the docs would assume the keratitis is from that, and that it will go away on it's own and artificial tears will be effective. No need for a follow up visit.

Unfortunately I already of course use tons of artificial tears and it feels like the keratitis has been around for months and is only worsening.