Not sure what Exactly I have?

[Hate my eyes]

I am 21 years old, and never looked into my problem this deeply, but I have gradually became more and more upset.

I wear glasses and recently I had to upgrade my perscription my eyes got worse, at that time I noticed my eyes were still very red. I thought it was going away, but I realized I had only ever looked at myself in the mirror with my glasses and my glasses were not strong enough to notice the redness from the distance I was looking at apperantly I was only seeing at half my vision, now I see 20/20 and can notice the redness clearly.

Basically this began at age 17, I believe it started when I first wore contacts. I am somewhat convinced I got an infection from contacts that is still present in my eyes. My mom tells me she was allergic to plastic so she cant wear contacts. I only tried them for a month or two.

My symptoms start like this, in the morning I wake up, my eyes burn and are sore and red, there is a stringy discharge in my eye. My eyes are almost always red, but perhaps not as much as they used to be because less people comment on them. Still its very embarassing having red eyes for hundreds of reasons, and I find it disgusting myself. Some days its good most days its not so good, every day I wake up with sore eyes, even on good days when there perfectly white they are still sore, and have the discharge. I am also constantly stuffed up and my nose is plugged when i wake up which makes my doctors believe its allergies. I wake up stuffed up all the time, all year long.

I am currently taking zaditor, I had been taking tobradex which is like an eye ointment which seemed to help a bit but not cure it.

I really dont know what else to do, I went to 3 different eye doctor. One doctor actually diagnosed exactly what I had, and described it could last until i get older, but I completely forgot what exactly the name was, I was to dumb to write it down. I believe i may just go to the walk in clinic again and see if another doctor can help find the problem.

Basically if anyone can offer help or offer suggestions it would be very much appreciated, I would gladly live with the pain in my eyes, its the embarsement of red eyes that bothers me most, I could live my life with pain, if I new my eyes werent bloodshot and red all the time. Picture just getting pulled over at a check stop driving home and the police look at your eyes and jump to conclusions while you try to explain your eye condition. I also dont smoke, the only thing I do is spend a decent amount of time at my lcd computer, but even days I dont go on the computer there still bad, but they do get sorer on my pc. Its a nightmare.

[Cindy]

Hi. So sorry to read of your discomfort.

You wrote:

One doctor actually diagnosed exactly what I had, and described it could last until i get older, but I completely forgot what exactly the name was
I would think that a good starting place would be to contact this doctor and find out what he diagnosed. Also get a copy of your records for your own information and to share with doctors you will see in the future.

[Hate my eyes]

I should have mentioned this, the problem is the doctor that diagnosed me has moved, and I have no way of getting in contact with him, the tobradex he suggested (sp?) has helped, I went back on it today and my eyes are definately less red and clearer, based on others comments which made me happy, still there not as white and less red as regular eyes, the zaditor had not helped from my experience.


I should mention that last year a doctor took cotton swabs of my eyes but never got back to me the nurse told me that means my eyes have no serious problem, still I would love to get rid of the complete redness, the tobradex definatelly helped, at this point i dont care about the discomfort just the redness in my eyes. When I am not in school (I attend university for finance) I work in a resteraunt as a cook, and the heat from the grill really bothers it as well.

I would just love to hear possible solutions for reducing redness in my eyes! If anyone has any possible suggestions, I dont care how badly my eyes hurt I have dealt with enough pain, its the embarsment of red eyes that kills me!

[DrG]

My symptoms start like this, in the morning I wake up, my eyes burn and are sore and red, there is a stringy discharge in my eye. My eyes are almost always red, but perhaps not as much as they used to be because less people comment on them. Still its very embarassing having red eyes for hundreds of reasons, and I find it disgusting myself. Some days its good most days its not so good, every day I wake up with sore eyes, even on good days when there perfectly white they are still sore, and have the discharge. I am also constantly stuffed up and my nose is plugged when i wake up which makes my doctors believe its allergies. I wake up stuffed up all the time, all year long.

I am currently taking zaditor, I had been taking tobradex which is like an eye ointment which seemed to help a bit but not cure it.



Dear HME,

Let's talk about symptoms one at a time. There are very few pain receptors in the conjunctiva. Therefore, pain and soreness has to be coming from the cornea. But, there are no blood vessels in the cornea, and so the redness is coming from the conjunctiva. Redness is caused by dilation of the blood vessels. The dilation occurs in response to inflammation. Inflammation is non-specific, but the types of white blood cells can indicate the cause. For example, eosinophils are typically more prevalent with allergies, monocytes with infections, etc. Impression cytology can determine what kinds of blood cells are present. Inflammatory by-products can build-up at night, causing redness and soreness.

The stringy discharge is mucus. Mucus is typically more present in allergy states or dry eye states. Pus-like yellow, green, caked-up matter on the eyelids indicates a bacterial infection.

Tobradex contains the antibiotic tobramycin and one of the most powerful corticosteroids, dexamethasone. You also mentioned using the ointment form. If it helps, then you are either getting relief from the antibiotic, the steroid, or the ointment. The ointment would be good for nocturnal dry eyes, the tobramycin would help in the case of staph blepharitis, and the dexamethasone would reduce the response to inflammation from any source, allergies, dry eyes, or infection.

You should not be using tobradex without a doctor's supervision because it can raise intraocular pressure and cause glaucoma if used for too long. If the doctors suspect allergies, do your eyes itch? A stuffy nose can also occur along with dry eyes. If the Zaditor didn't help, I suspect that allergies aren't the culprit. You might be getting some help with the vehicle in the ointment, and dexamethasone is a very powerful drug. You can get ointment without anything else in it, such as Refresh P.M.

DrG

[Hate my eyes]

The tobradex after using it again properly is helping.

I had been using it incorrect, I was putting it in the eyes by dabbing it on my finger after washing my hands.

The doctor had never specified other then say put a strip in your eye, that was about 8 months ago. I decided to look on the internet and learned how to use it properly, and I was told by a doctor I spoke to yesterday to use it about 3 times a day, he also told me to heat it up a bit so it comes out of the tube better, which it does. If I apply 3 times a day I can go an entire day with minimal redness now. The ointment in the eye really seems to sooth it, almost noticeable after I put it in, but it still gets red at times when i need to put another dose in.

I could try the zaditor again, but I didnt have much sucess before, I only tried it a few days but I almost dont want to risk it because if it doesnt help the redness I hate going in public with red eyes, where I can have guranteed minimal redness using the tobradex, and I almost dont think its allergies, because I am stuffed up generally when there red and sore, but they can also be red and sore as I noticed when I am fine, not stuffed up at all.

I am just curious what my next step should be, I could see a doctor, but the information you have provided, seems much more knowledgeable then even my eye specialist who has done nothing to ever help me except recycling medication for me.

I also noticed looking at older eye drops I had when the problems first occured I had allergian eye drop, which had never helped either.

I am just hoping there is a cure for this, I am paranoid at times, I just have such unsually sensitive eyes, they will always be red.

[DrG]

You NEED to be under a doctor's supervision when taking any prescription medication, especially Tobradex. You cannot take Tobradex indefinitely. If you take it too long, you WILL probably experience an elevation in intraocular pressure and get steroid-induced glaucoma. Therefore, you need to have your intraocular pressure monitored while you are on this medication.

Your doctor must be thinking that you have bacterial blepharitis.

DrG

[Hate my eyes]

I am not going to lie, I just seen an eye doctor last week for my glasses, about my vision, and mentioned I am on this with nothing he said in return, another doctor also filled out numerious refills, I dont know what to tell you but I was unaware how serious this medication is, which says something about my doctors, I called a new eye doctor today in light of this information which is 4 month wait, and sadly I am moving in 2 months to continue my university studies, I am almost thinking I should stop taking this immediately because I had no idea nor was it ever mentioned that it would lead to glaucoma, I went to see the pharmicist I got it from yesterday all they said was there was a sterioid in it, just limit use of it.

I have been using it for about 8 months now. Would it be ok to take it in your opinion until next week since it offers relief, I am going to the walk in clinic next week when I have a day off work to mention what I have learned and see what they advise. If not I suppose I will stop taking this immediately.

Thanks for the help, none of this was ever mentioned to me, and I brought my father with me many times incase I forgot something, or sometimes they put eye drops in my eyes and didnt want me driving home, he had never heard a doctor mention anything this serious about tobradex, and was also there when this was perscribed to me.

If anyone has any suggestions of what I may have anything would be helpful, after researching that name you mentioned, I have those symptoms but it does not appear to have anything to do with my eye lids.

It does feel like theres a foreign body, the discharge, and burning, and itchy red eye are the main problems, but it is not always from the eye lid, usually my eye lids feel fine, its always in my eye thats the worse. Usually the redness in both eyes is worse at the end of my eye closest to the nose and leads, right to the middle of my eye. The end of my eye closest to my ears is usually fine. Its always the inner part of the eye that is most red.

Occasionally and I mean occasionally I had notice for a day maybe just a red dot built up on part of my closest to my ears, but that is rare. Only noticed it maybe 3 times.

I should also mention right before I went on the tobradex, a doctor actually took a cotton swab of my eye, never heard back and when I called the clinic, they said if i have not heard anything it was not a serious problem.

[DrG]

All I said was that you needed to be under an eye doctor's supervision when taking Tobradex, because the corticosteroid could cause an increase in eye pressure leading to glaucoma. In fact, this is so widely known that I almost felt silly admonishing you about it. The only reason I said anything is because I was convinced that you were self-medicating. Clearly, you are under an eye doctor's care, and you should know whether or not your eye pressures are within the normal range.

A word to the wise should be sufficient.

DrG

[Hate my eyes]

The thing is if I am under proper doctor supervision to what extent????? I stated I am under doctors orders, but I am asking for a second opinion out of desperation, I have visited other doctors who have perscribed refills, which are an endless supply how safe can that be, and never once was it ever mentioned to me what side effects tobradex has after 8 months of use, and these are not always eye doctor specialist, I have visited eye doctor specialist and regular doctors, my vision has doubled in worseness and my doctor last week who got me new glasses with new lenses said nothing when I was on tobradex, or when I told him this, I think your assuming my doctors know as much as you, when I dont think they do, I live in medicine hat alberta, however much education it takes to become an eye doctor, I have known very few people who have had success visiting eye doctors here in medicine hat, you may feel silly, but this is not silly to me, these side effects were never mentioned to me, and I am worried at this point, not from your statement, but your statement based on the condition of my eyes. I went from a certain glass perscription to one that was twice as strong, my eyes got much worse according to my doctor who supplied me with new lenses last week, and that doctor told me when I mentioned I was on tobradex for almost a year had nothing to say, I think your giving my doctors to much credit. I am appreciative of your advice, but i am not conviced at all by your last post, I personally dont feel my doctors know what they are talking about, does perscribing an endless amount of tobradex whenever I want sound smart to you, based on what I know now and based on what you mentioned? Measuring the pressure in my eyes, I have no idea what your even talking about, thats how clueless i am about this medication. I dont feel your being honhest with me, you can say what you want, I can continue this medication based on what my doctors say, they can continue endless supply of refills, but knowing my eye sight has gotten twice as worse in the last year and half, I am just looking for an intelligent opinion. I personally feel I am not under proper doctor supervision, you can tell me its my own fault, but I have called, visited, and asked them questions about tobradex, but not until you brought up the word glaucoma had I researched it, and found out how serious this is, now how can you say I am under doctor supervision? What do you class as proper doctor supervision?

I am posting on here as a last resort, if your going to give me the middle of the road answer, then I am wasting my time, it clearly seems you know more about this medication, and my eye symptoms then my doctors I have visited, but if your going to reply with a middle of the road approach that is not going to help me, and I will listen to my doctors, contunue using an endless supply of refills, and believe what he tells me, even if he does not know these side effects. I dont know what experience you have but not all these doctors perscribing this have your level of experience, so if you can offer advice it would definately help, if not, so be it. If I wanted help by someone who would agree with my doctors I wouldnt be posting here asking for help. I am posting here because nothing my doctors have said or done, has even helped me understand my condition!

[DrG]

I am a therapeutic optometrist with 20+ years of clinical experience with drugs of this type. You can Google dexamethasone and find exactly what I am saying. This information is so elementary that every eye doctor, regardless of background, knows this.

I honestly cannot believe that you have gone to a succession of eye doctors who have prescribed you an endless(seemingly) supply of Tobradex, and NONE of them has checked your eye pressures? I would be checking the eye pressures before I prescribed Tobradex, and I would be checking the eye pressures if the patient was using it more than two weeks, and I would be checking it every two weeks while you were on it. However, I am puzzled as to why this has occurred. Unless you had a vision threatening condition requiring the constant use of a topical steroid, I would be looking for ways of weaning you off. Why don't you take a poll here on this board and see how many people here with dry eyes are have been using Tobradex for a prolonged period of time?

There are some conditions requiring the long-term use of steroids. Vernal conjunctivitis is a chronic condition for which steroids are often necessary on an acute basis, i.e. for about one to two weeks once or twice a year. There is also recurrent uveitis and iritis which require the administration of steroids for two to four weeks or so. Patients who have undergone eye surgery need to use steroids for up to several months, but the dose is tapered as soon as possible. The pressure is always monitored. Always.

There is no way I or any doctor can properly diagnose your condition over the internet based upon the information you have provided thus far. All I have is your sketchy, non-medical description. Furthermore, it sounds to me like you have been "doctor-shopping," going from doctor to doctor to get Tobradex. Many people do this, especially for narcotics.


DrG

[dianat]

HME:

I am merely a humble post-lasik dry eye sufferer. I have, however, been to a number of eye docs in the last few years because of this, and have been told on the occasion that a steriod has been prescribed for me that its use had to be temporary due to the potential increase in the pressure in the eye. This can cause cataracts. That point was made very clear to me. On this website, I can assure you, the dangers of prolonged steroid use are common knowledge.

Now, it seems you're unclear how pressure is checked. Perhaps this is being done for you and you don't even realize it. The doc instills a numbing drop prior to this test, so it could go by quickly and unnoticed - particularly if nobody tells you, "I'm checking your occular pressure now".

I can see you are probably disappointed at the notion of discontinuing a med that has helped you, but I can assure you having cataracts replaced will be no picnic. I requires surgery...slicing open your eyeball.

So please take good care of yourself and find an opthalmologist with which you are comfortable, and that will work with you on these problems you are having.

[Lucy]

HME

You, after all, are talking about your eyes. You cannot possibly expect a diagnosis over the internet. Unfortunately, we have to be our own advocates. This is sad, really.

After having RS, some doctors will not "come clean" and tell us what is wrong. "We don't know" is a particularly good example. "I can't see anything wrong." etc. etc.

The internet docs do help very much to help us get a grip on what's happening. But, they cannot see your eyes, prescribe you meds, etc. In the end, it's your eyes. Be careful with them.

Lucy

[Delilah]

Hello HME, I have just read all your posts about your problem. First I would like to say I am very sorry you are having so much trouble, especially with doctors. I had been to numerous doctors that didn't give me much help but they did find out what was wrong with my eyes, I have severe dry eye, MGD and LD. I have been on numerous steriod eye drops, just for the record with any medication whether it be eye drops or oral medication I always research the side effects and every componet that is in the medication so I know what I am facing. I know that with any type of steroid medication there comes many problems over long term use. I read in one of your posts that you wake up stuffy every morning whether its summer or winter and I have the same problem. What works for me is psudaphed 30mgs daily and my nasal passage way opens up for the rest of the day and night, it works wonders.
For your red eyes do a warm compress as soon as you wake up. I take a wash cloth as hot as I can take it and press it on my eyes to get the oils working, then I do a rinse with natural tears and repeat. After your done doing this try an allergy eye drop that reduces red eye, put two drops in each eye and close them and count to 60, open your eyes and use a drop for severe dry eye like GenTeal or Dakrina or Dwelle from this site, these eye drops are really good.
Quit using the steriod eye drops completely!!!!!! The only thing the steroid eye drops are doing is making the swelling of your blood vessels in your eyes go down and that is why your seeing results of no red eye, but with this comes a lot of BAD side effects, so its better just to use an over the counter vasoconstrictor!!!! Just like with any steroids, like steroid shots for swollen feet or body parts, they inject a steroid into the body part to decrease the swelling and it helps but only for so long, the problem is still there!!!!
Do this every morning, afternoon and evening and let me know if this helps, remember to take 2 tablets of the psudaphed when you wake up and you will see the difference it does for your stuffiness, I have tried every kind of allergy medicine and nothing works better than the over the counter psudaphed!!!! I know how you feel when you can't get straight answers about your eye problem as the eyes are one of the hardest to treat, but the doctors on here have to have specific details in order to help, along with specific diagnosis, if you had these specific details and diagnosis it would make a world of difference.
For now try my remedy and do this for 2 weeks and let me know if it made any difference in your red eyes and let me know if the psudaphed worked? Its the best I can do for you now and try to relax we all our trying to deal with our eye troubles and there is nothing you can do but live with it and try every day to find something that works and try to find a doctor where you live or close by that will have some answers for you. I have to deal with these horrible stringy mucus things in my eyes day and night and dry eye to top it off and its driving me crazy but I am doing my best to find a cure and doing my best to take care of my eyes. Once again I am so sorry for your trouble and I hope what I said to do helps and don't use the steroid eye drops anymore or the ointment!!!!!! Trust me on this one. Ciao Delilah