Eye allergy and mild blepharitis

[rach05]

Hello everyone.

Around 3 years ago i first posted on this forum as i had very dry eyes and swollen right painful eyelid. I had been to see a specialist at the hospital who gave me steroid drops and celluvisc.

Since then my eyes would feel abit dry but ok so long as i didnt wear mascara that would make them burn. I actually thought they were getting better.

...but, around 4 weeks ago i had a cold and my right eye was watering which is odd for my right eye as that is the drier eye. I thought nothing of it. Then 3 weeks ago i went swimming and the day after both my eyes were red. This got worse until they were burning and red all the time. I went to my optician who said i had an eye allergy and mild blepharitis. I think i had blepharitis a few years ago but never knew the proper name. So i was given opticrom drops and told to wash my eyelashes with baby shampoo. The baby shampoo and heat made it worse, my lid swelled and was painful everytime i blinked. I use a cold compress which eases the swelling and have been using blephasol to clean my eyelashes and lids. I have used the drops for 10 days now but my eyes are still bumpy inside and are red and puffy when i wake up.

Does anybody know if this is the allergy or the blepharitis? My vision is blurred sometimes and it feels asthough a hard blink will clear it. The skin under my eyes is very dry and itchy too so i have been putting vaseline on. I have never had anything like this before and am scared to go back to the doctors because i dont want steroid drops again.

I would love to hear your suggestions, thanks.

[littlemermaid]

Have you seen an ophthalmologist yet, Rach? The cause of blepharitis and dry eyes could be allergy or even bacterial but your poor eyes need some help. If they do want to use steroids short term to control inflammation, make sure they are unpreserved, not with eg benzalkonium chloride. Unpreserved steroids are easily available to them, also Moorfields have a few more they could order in. Of course, don't do anything that makes your eyes worse, and if a prescription makes them worse we have to go back to the doc. I've always thought bumpy and red under eyelids is allergy but may not be the whole story.

Your eyes are red on Opticrom? do they need to find an alternative for you without preservative? Netdoctor says tell them you are sensitive to the ingredients http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/allergy-a...eye-drops.html