Tweet
My issues related to Recurrent Cornea Erosion have been continuous related to Map-Dot Fingerprint Dystrophy. 
I never had any blunt trauma to either of my eyes. It seems to be genetic because there's no other explanation. I'm 39 years old. Early 2016, I started to wake up with that "sand in my eyes" or "something stuck in my eye" sensation. I didn't have any idea what it was. Fast forward a few months, and I woke up randomly with a 10 out of 10 on the pain scale in my left eye. Turns out it was a corneal abrasion. It healed after a week.
Six months later the same thing, just random, intense pain one morning in the middle of the night and when waking. It's been hell. Honestly, it has been some of the worst pain imaginable. I have to travel often because my kids are overseas, so I go back and forth. It's made planning for trips and logistics and nightmare.
This has gone on like this for four years. As I type, I have a corneal abrasion in my left eye that caused massive 10 out of 10 pain on two occasions in just one week. In the mirror, the corneal abrasion is large, red, and has low-level pain throughout the day. I feel like I've reached my end.
However, I have a serious problem regarding treatment. I have used a few topical drops and gels daily, multiple times per day. The first are Hylo-Gel and Hylo-Care, the second is Solcoseryl which is a healing agent made from the blood plasma of sheep (prescribed in southeast Asia), and a few months back added regular DuraTears.
I want to do the superficial keratectomy procedure. Or the laser version of this procedure. However, I am beyond terrified. I have anxiety disorders, and so I am a nervous person in general. But I have always had a nervous reaction or maybe even a physical sensitivity to anything touching my eyes. A family member was a optometrist and he tried fitting me with contact lenses. He could never get it in my eye, even after an hour of trying. In my adult life, ophthalmologists wanted to fit me with contact lens bandages after my severe corneal abrasions, however, each time unsuccessful in getting in my eye. I'm blinking non-stop, I can't stop myself from resisting. I get beyond completely freaked out by anything touching my eye.. anything solid. So how can I ever do this procedure I need (the superficial keratectomy)? I feel really stuck here. I know I need to do it. But both psychologically and physically I can't imagine being able to successfully do it.
Can I please get some tips from how to go through with this procedure? I need tips on how to do this. I'm curious if anyone else has ever been in the same boat as me.
Then some other general questions on my mind.. I wonder is it better to do the superficial keratectomy or PRK laser treatment? The eye doctor I'm going to see again in Singapore, he is leaning toward the laser procedure, though my U.S doctor thought that it would be "too expensive" and "maybe harder for you to keep your eye open." But it seems like it might be easier to keep my eye open with the laser?
This has been such a nightmare. Please help me go through with this procedure with any tips or advice on how to do this for someone who is so sensitive with something touching my eye. My current doctor also does not agree about general anesthesia, he would only use local topical anesthesia.
Also, are the chances of recovering from Recurrent Cornea Erosions almost 100% with either of these procedures? Or is it really only 60 - 70% chance of success like I recently read in an ophthalmology article.
I'm also scared how long it would take to recover. Since just my worst corneal abrasion has taken over 10 days just with an abrasion. And this would be removing a big part of the cornea. I'm confused when a doctor in the past has (too optimistically) given a 3 - 4 day recovery time??
Thank you!
I never had any blunt trauma to either of my eyes. It seems to be genetic because there's no other explanation. I'm 39 years old. Early 2016, I started to wake up with that "sand in my eyes" or "something stuck in my eye" sensation. I didn't have any idea what it was. Fast forward a few months, and I woke up randomly with a 10 out of 10 on the pain scale in my left eye. Turns out it was a corneal abrasion. It healed after a week.
Six months later the same thing, just random, intense pain one morning in the middle of the night and when waking. It's been hell. Honestly, it has been some of the worst pain imaginable. I have to travel often because my kids are overseas, so I go back and forth. It's made planning for trips and logistics and nightmare.
This has gone on like this for four years. As I type, I have a corneal abrasion in my left eye that caused massive 10 out of 10 pain on two occasions in just one week. In the mirror, the corneal abrasion is large, red, and has low-level pain throughout the day. I feel like I've reached my end.
However, I have a serious problem regarding treatment. I have used a few topical drops and gels daily, multiple times per day. The first are Hylo-Gel and Hylo-Care, the second is Solcoseryl which is a healing agent made from the blood plasma of sheep (prescribed in southeast Asia), and a few months back added regular DuraTears.
I want to do the superficial keratectomy procedure. Or the laser version of this procedure. However, I am beyond terrified. I have anxiety disorders, and so I am a nervous person in general. But I have always had a nervous reaction or maybe even a physical sensitivity to anything touching my eyes. A family member was a optometrist and he tried fitting me with contact lenses. He could never get it in my eye, even after an hour of trying. In my adult life, ophthalmologists wanted to fit me with contact lens bandages after my severe corneal abrasions, however, each time unsuccessful in getting in my eye. I'm blinking non-stop, I can't stop myself from resisting. I get beyond completely freaked out by anything touching my eye.. anything solid. So how can I ever do this procedure I need (the superficial keratectomy)? I feel really stuck here. I know I need to do it. But both psychologically and physically I can't imagine being able to successfully do it.
Can I please get some tips from how to go through with this procedure? I need tips on how to do this. I'm curious if anyone else has ever been in the same boat as me.
Then some other general questions on my mind.. I wonder is it better to do the superficial keratectomy or PRK laser treatment? The eye doctor I'm going to see again in Singapore, he is leaning toward the laser procedure, though my U.S doctor thought that it would be "too expensive" and "maybe harder for you to keep your eye open." But it seems like it might be easier to keep my eye open with the laser?
This has been such a nightmare. Please help me go through with this procedure with any tips or advice on how to do this for someone who is so sensitive with something touching my eye. My current doctor also does not agree about general anesthesia, he would only use local topical anesthesia.
Also, are the chances of recovering from Recurrent Cornea Erosions almost 100% with either of these procedures? Or is it really only 60 - 70% chance of success like I recently read in an ophthalmology article.
I'm also scared how long it would take to recover. Since just my worst corneal abrasion has taken over 10 days just with an abrasion. And this would be removing a big part of the cornea. I'm confused when a doctor in the past has (too optimistically) given a 3 - 4 day recovery time??
Thank you!
Comment