posted
I wanted to touch base and let everyone know how I was doing. I was in a tremendous amount of pain. I couldn't open my eyes, they were tearing up at any amount of sunlight, and it felt like I was being poked in the eyes with needles, and my eyes were burning like crazy.
The pain is finally gone, my eyesight is still blurry, but I can live with that as long as the pain is gone!! I went to my eye doctor on Friday, Monday, and Tuesday. He sent me to a corneal specialist on Wednesday. The specialist agreed that I was in a lot of pain and he said that it could be caused by 2 things.
1st, it could be due to my medications. Some medicines are hard on the eyes, and he thinks with the amount of medicine I was on for lyme, I could actually have to medication toxicity. The medicines he was worried about were biaxin and amantidine.
2nd, my problem could be due to a viral infection in my eyes. I didn't know you could get a virus in your eyes, but apparently you can. He said I had 2nd degree burns in my eyes...ouch!!
First he said I had to quit rubbing my eyes, that was a large part of my problem. But, how could I do that when it was the only thing that seemed to help. He said he had only seen one person worse off than me and he put her in the hospital for 3 days. He sewed her eyes shut and put her on a morphine drip. I seriously considered this because of the pain I was in.
I had to do several different things, but I am finally better. I had to take a medicine vacation. Acyclovair for 10 days. Restasis every day twice a day. Rewetting drops every half hour. And for the pain....tea bags!! I was to wet tea bags, put them in the fridge to let them get cold, and then place them on my eyes for 15 minutes. I could do this all day long if I wanted to, and I did for about 2 days because it was my only relief. I kept my eyes closed for 2 straight days because he said the best bandages were closed eyes.
So, I am finally getting better and I am soooo relieved. Maybe this can help some of you before you get as bad as I did....because I was really scared!!
Shalome
Posts: 893 | From Florida | Registered: Dec 2008
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feelfit
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12770
posted
Oh Shalome, so happy that you are feeling better!
Feelfit
Posts: 3975 | From usa | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
Dear Shalome, That is wonderful news to hear you are doing better! My eyes burn so badly sometimes that I have to take a wet washcloth and put it in the corner of my eye near or on the tear duct. I am not sure if it is due to Sjogren's or allergies. Excessive tearing is a part of it as well. Strangely, my eyes are generally too dry.
Wearing contacts actually seemed to make it worse. No matter how many drops I put in, they seemed to dry out again within minutes. Plain water in the shower also makes my eyes burn. Nothing appears to make much of a difference. I figured you could get viruses in your eyes, since you are able to get fungal and bacterial infections.
posted
That is the reason for my post. I know a lot of people have problems with their eyes burning. And I hoped to educate some people who might not know that their are medications that affect eyes and viruses that affect eyes.
Everyone eith this problem should check with their eye doctor. My burning comes and goes, so it makes sense that it is viral. But, either case, there is something that can be done.
Meds can be changed and viral medications can be given. So, if your eyes burn, try to get to the bottom of it, because you can seriously hurt your eyes by rubbing them too much!!
It is painful!!
Good luck!!
Shalome
Posts: 893 | From Florida | Registered: Dec 2008
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