I was having dry eye, where my eyelid stuck in place. Now my sights affected. Are they connected?

[Sarah-Jane]

My optician is not helping me. My sight seems to be failing in my right eye and I am wondering whether dry eyes caused it? What can I do?

[nanaanna]

Hi Sarah-Jane, i think u might need 2 change ur optician if ur not finding them helpful. I know how hard it can b 2 get a good optician. My oldest daughter was born with bilateral rentinal coloboma, basically it means that she doesn't have a full retina in either of her eyes. She was 4 b4 it was discovered and I took her 2 the 1st optician. He had look and wrote me letter and told me 2 take her straight 2 hospital. He never explained why just sent me on my way. Needless 2 say I didn't go back 2 him. I tried loads of others but wasn't really happy with any of them 2 a friends sister in law said try this 1. I went in, explained what was wrong with her etc and he was fantastic. She's now 28 and her eyesight has deteriorated over yrs and she's now partially sighted and blind in 1 eye. Thanks 2 her wonderful optician she copes fantastic and I truly believe if it wasn't 4 him she wouldn't b as confident and cope as well as she does. But 2 get back 2 u, ur describing how I was couple yrs ago. I'd been at opticians in May and my eyesight was great but I started suffering dry eyes and felt like I had that morning eye feeling all day. Everything was blurring and my eyes were dry and I was constantly rubbing at them. I went back 2 c optician in sept 2 b told I had cataracts in both eyes but 1 in my left eye was growing so fast I needed it out straight away. Optician was shocked that in space of just over 3mths I had developed a cataract that needed immediate surgery. That was just over 2yrs ago. They believe it was all the meds I'm on caused it 2 grow so quickly. I had the surgery and now they r talking bout doing my other 1. I know I can phone my optician and he will c me within 48hrs and set my mind at rest plus he doesn't charge me unless it's my yrly check up. Get advice of another optician and maybe ask around from friends who they would recommend but u need 2 c someone who can put ur mind at ease. I hope u find some1 to help as I know how troublesome eyes can b, hopefully it will only b dry eye syndrome and they can give u prescription 2 help r advice u on something u can maybe buy over counter. Good luck and gentle hugs to u xx

[dragonfly45]

Hi Sarah-Jane,

I recently went to my docs with the same problem, she said it was called blepharitis It is also called dry eye syndrome. Its when the tear ducts don't produce enough moisture therefore the eyes get sticky and sore.

It does affect my eyesight when I get it, but it comes and goes. My doc told me to go to the opticians for a dry eye test, but by the time I got round to it, it was alot better so I have left it.

I'm sorry I can't be more helpful to you, but hope you feel better soon. Thanks Sue x

[Sarah-Jane]

Thank you, you've both been very helpful. I think you're right, I need a second opinion at least. My doctor dismissed it as conjunctivitis.

Soft hugs

[Fibrofoggiest]

Hi Sarah-Jane, I think I agree with nanaanna, that a visit to another optician would be a good idea. It is not the same as changing doctors, you can walk into virtually any optician and ask for them to look at your eyes. It never hurts to get a second opinion on something like this, and even though your dr thinks its conjunctivitis, any optician would look and either dismiss it and tell you what is going on or be in agreement and perhaps over some different treatment, more, suitable . Doctors are meant to be good on bodies, whereas opticians are specialists in eyes. I wish you the very best to find someone today to have a look at you. Do let us know how you get on

Foggy x

[donna]

Hi I have Sjögren's syndrome..( also called sicca) .which is an autoimune syndrome that effects the body every where here is fluid and mucous membranes..it effects my eyes gritty , warm , sore and the eye lids stick ( but no crud!) and my mouth is constantly dry have to sip and drink all the the..it can effect any part of your body that has fluid in or around it..the test is a dry eye test ,litmus paper is put just in your eye for a minute to absorb any fluid...google it...you might connect to the other symptoms..

I have gel tears ( can buy them from the chemist or on prescription,) l use them through out the day and before bed to stop them sticking its important you keep them lubricated.

My dad has bletheritis but it is very different to my eye stuff.

My rheumatologist diagnosed me on my first visit along with Lupus and Fibro..to add to my bag of other autoimmune stuff!

Bestwishes Donna x

[mimiwen]

Hi Sarah-Jane, I have Sjögren's too. My doctor prescribes me something called lacri-lube to use at night as well as Liquifilm tears for the daytime. The lacri-lube makes your vision blurred but it's really good for stopping your eyelid sticking to your eye during the night. I think you can buy them both over the counter.

I think if it doesn't get any better, you should ask your GP to refer you to a rheumotologist to see if you have Sjögren's.

Do hope things get better for you soon.

Mim x

[RIBBONPINK]

HI SARAH JANE MY OPTICIAN TOLD ME I HAVE DRY EYES IT IS A SYMPTOM OF FIBROMYALGIA IT CAN AFFECT YOUR SIGHT I USE EYE SPRAY FROM BOOTS 4 TIMES A DAY AND HAVE EYES TESTED EVERY YEAR.X PINK RIBBONS

[Sarah-Jane]

Thank you, that's helpful. I'm off sick with sore knee at the moment. Dr is man of few words! Having minor flares of different symptoms. Hands and knees on fire, eyes dry and scratchy.

Soft hugs

[lcm27]

Hi, I too have dry eyes, mouth but runny ears and nose. Optician squirted dye into my eyes and then watched, she said my eyes weren't lubricating properly, said don't bother with those Dry Eye Sprays over the counter, well they hadn't worked anyway, she wrote on my prescription that I had dry eyes and recommended eye drops from my GP who duly obliged with little microcellose capsules as and when I need them, he recommended bathing my eyes in mild salt water in the morning to remove the crud but it doesn't get over the problem of them sticking together overnight and not being able to see to get to the bathroom in order to bathe them! I have Biontene mouth gel to stop my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth and my teeth to my gums, Fexofenadine to stop the allergic rhinitis but nothing stops my ears running, its like a clear liquid gently trickling out during the night that I can feel although the pillow is not wet from it my ears are damp, and its not perspiration! Any suggestions?

[Sarah-Jane in reply to lcm27]

You are having a rough time. I've never heard of all of these before, but I am getting dry patches in my throat if I lay on my right side. Strangely the dry patch is also on the right! It clears if I turn onto my left? My nose also is rather wet a lot of the time, I thought it was an allergy. But I'll get it checked too. Does sound like I really need to talk to the optician though. They say FM isn't degenerative, but symptoms appear to gather don't they. I wish I had something helpful to say. Sorry. Maybe put it to someone else?

[MARYKOP in reply to lcm27]

TELL ME ABOUT MICROCELLUSE CAPSULES..WHERE DO YOU LIVE

[twgclee]

I am not sure what is causing this but if you visit an ophthalmologist versus a optometrist they may have more answers for you. I would do some research on ophthalmologist that specializing in dry eye, ppssibly with a dry eye clinic.

[TheAuthor]

Hi Sarah-Jane

I am so sorry to read that you are having this problem. I personally do not suffer with anything like this. I think I would be tempted to get a second opinion from another optician as I always do with health matters if I do not know anything about them.

I sincerely hope that you can get this issues resolved.

Ken x

[mgbella]

Just went to my eye Dr. (MD) the other day. He told me that your vision can get worse if you don't keep them moist, because mine are so dry. Told me to use moisture eye drops as often as I want during the day, the more the better. I use Systane in the States.

[Sarah-Jane]

Thank you everyone. Since posting my eyes got a little better so I forgot I'd had a problem. However since mgbellas reply, I realise it's continued on and off. Recently my vision is blurred and it feels like I'm crossing my eyes! Very odd. Time to seek help.