I went to bed Fri. night with my eye feeling funky and scratchy. woke up sat. to a VERY swollen right eye, extremely red, weeping and so painful!
Any sort of light felt like a hit through my brain.
Went to eye doctor and I have 2 corneal ulcers! At first he thought possibly I had shingles in my eye. By the next day he said it wasn't shingles but some sort of bacterial infection.
I have been on antibiotc eye drops since Sat. morning. While the redness and swelling is a bit better, the pain isn't better.
At my appointment today he wants me to take this antibiotic/steroid drops. He says it will make my eye feel much better and it will help the scarring of my cornea not to be as raised.
I got the script filled...but scared to use it. Will this hurt me? Make my Lyme worse? (I'm not on any Lyme tx right now.. can't afford it.)
Are steroid eye drops for 5 days okay? Or is that a big NO-NO?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I've done it several times with no negative effect.
Hope your eye is better soon!! I've scratched my cornea
back in a min
Posted by IckyTicky (Member # 21466) on :
Thanks Lymetoo! Also... I'm worried about the steroids that have lately had a fungus in them that caused menningitis. I'm wondering...can my eye drops have that? ugh.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Here's my take on steroid eye drops: NECESSARY when prescribed. Could save your eyesight.
Someone else has a similar thread today. My reply from there:
- When you call them, they will likely want to see you today. If they cannot, ask them what eye drops they would suggest in the meantime.
Any that you use, be sure to check the expiration date. That date is never negotiable for eye drops.
And, if your eye doctor says you need a steroid drop, this is one time where that "no steroids with lyme" rule is an exception. If prescribed, use them. Steroid eye drops can save vision.
Often, if a steroid drop is prescribed for an infection / inflammation, an anti-microbial drop is also prescribed right along with it.
If not, though, TELL them that you have a chronic infection and compromised immune function - and need to be sure you have antimicrobial protection along with any steroid drop.
You might ask if such an antimicrobial drop would be anti-viral as well as anti-bacterial (which is more common). If it also had anti-fungal properties, all the better.
Now, you may also call a naturopathic doctor (best if you have one already) and ask what kind of drops they would suggest for after the prescription drops are used.
If you buy eye drops from the market, go to a natural foods store or a vitamin shop and find the homeopathic eye drops in a dark glass vial, with only the tip being plastic.
These are generally to help with dry or itchy eyes, though, and not intended to treat any kind of infection.
EXPIRATION DATE of all eye drops should be marked in big numbers on each bottle when you get it home so it is tossed as it approaches that date. Keep from heat and humidity or they can spoil sooner.
TRAVEL KITS you may have with some eye drops also need to be checked. This is where I forget - I found some recently in a suitcase that had expired years ago. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- This holistic doctor's site and his book are also excellent:
ASTAXANTHIN - an antioxidant that has great promise for the eyes
Also be sure to get your FISH OIL - Many here really like OmegaBrite - just Google.
TAURINE is an essential amino acid for the eyes. Be sure your diet includes plenty. Vegetarians MUST supplement as it's primarily in muscle meat, fish and eggs. -