Sensitivity to light, dry eyes and calcium deposits

[ANGIEIRISH]

My problem may seem light compared to some of those reported but it is having an enormous effect on my lifestyle. My eyes are so sensitive to light that I have to keep the blinds drawn in the house for most of the day, my lifetime habit of reading the morning paper can no longer be indulged in, reading in general almost at an end even with large print books, computer work drastically reduced, evening TV viewing much curtailed, and even walks have become difficult as although I wear sun-glasses and a visor, I find navigating pavements and streets difficult. My consultant says it is the result of dry eyes and we have tried every sort of drops available. I also have calcium deposits on both eyes which should be removed but he seems reluctant to go ahead with this. I am not due to see him again until January, just wondering how I can help myself before then, I'm at my wits' end.

Anyone got any ideas?

[fed13]

I am so sorry to hear of your plight. Where are you? Are you able to seek a second opinion.? Does the Royal Society for the Blind have any advice? To me it doesn't sound as if you are being very well looked after by your ophthalmologist. Tell us more about yourself. xx

[ANGIEIRISH in reply to fed13]

Thanks for your comment. I shall contact the Royal Soc for the Blind and maybe they may have some solutions. I live on the Isle of Wight where we have what is considered quite a good 'eye department' at our one and only hospital, but a lot of treatments have to be done in Southampton. That's not an impossibility but it does mean two taxi journeys plus a ferry, takes a whole day to accomplish and without good eyesight it becomes a problem

[fed13 in reply to ANGIEIRISH]

Do contact your local group of Royal Society for the Blind. Also are there any local volunteer groups that help patients travel, as in your case? Please tell us how you get on. xx

[RosMacularSociety Partner]

Dear ANGIEIRISH,

Individuals with a macular related condition tend to develop a heightened sensitivity to glare. The glare is produced by the blue light in the spectrum. Ordinary sunglasses protect against the UV, but not the blue light. Therefore, individuals can find that they can end up trying to eradicate the discomfort from the glare by wearing ordinary sunglasses which are too dark for the lighting conditions, thereby obscuring their vision. The way to potentially address this is to choose spectacles from the anti-glare protection range, as they both protect against the blue light in the spectrum and the UV, and come in a range of shades. Therefore, an individual can either choose to purchase one shade, or various for different lighting conditions. Anti-glare protection comes in a variety of styles of frames; however, fit-overs are handy when an individual already wears spectacles.

In terms of colour choice, as an indication, e.g. yellow anti-glare fit-overs are generally good for indoor use, as they do not reduce the amount of light coming in, reduce glare, increase contrast and definition. They are also suitable for outdoor use on a dull day when glare may still be an issue, but there is not adequate natural light to wear a darker shade. On a brighter day out an orange pair of fit-overs may be advisable, followed by an amber pair on a very bright day out.

Please contact us direct for a list of supplier's details.

Kind regards,

Advice and Information Service Operative

Macular Society

Tel [phone]

[e-mail]

macularsociety.org

[Ikansea in reply to RosMacularSociety]

Information on antiglare glasses MUCH appreciated. You wouldn't have a list of suppliers for the USA, would you?

Thank you, Ikansea

[RosMacularSociety Partner in reply to Ikansea]

Hello Ikansea,

I am afraid not. However, if you email us, we can send you a UK supplier's list. The supplier's listed may have knowledge of firms that sell the anti-glare filters in the USA?

Email address: [e-mail]

Kind regards

[Ikansea in reply to RosMacularSociety]

Thank you, Rosalyn

[Whitegoose]

hello Angierish, I have wet AMD in both eyes, I find yellow glasses so soothing to wear, stops the glare, I wear them all day, they are prescription glasses from Specsavers in UK. If it is very bright & sunny when I go out then I use my dark prescription glasses. I do not need my dark glasses often.

[ANGIEIRISH in reply to Whitegoose]

Thanks for your input Whitegoose. I have yellow tinted glasses but they are no helpa t all outside and only a little bit of help indoors. I reckon my eyes must be extremely sensitive as even this morning when it is quite dark, indoors I am sill having to wear dark glasses and the most comfortable is just sitting with my eyes cosed.

[Whitegoose in reply to ANGIEIRISH]

Oh you poor thing, I should have another talk with your eye consultant and let him know just how much discfort you are in. Or if you have a local Low Vision Clinic usually recommended by your optometrist, they just may be able to help you. Good luck. x

[lesyeux]

I have light sensitivity (photophobia) and like you I have to have the blinds closed when it is sunny and this time of year it is t worse when the sun is low in the sky. I have to wear different sunglasses for low light and others for bright and very bright. I never found anti-glare glasses helped me because I have Sjogren's Syndrome (dry eyes and dry mouth) and one of the symptoms of SS is light sensitivity.

[ANGIEIRISH in reply to lesyeux]

Thank you for your reply, it's a comfort to know my symptoms are not unusual. Yesterday was one of the worst days and I had an appointment which had to be kept: the taxi ride was murder as I just had to sit with head bowed and eyes closed, feeling, and looking, like a right idiot as I was bundled up in woolly hat, scarf, sunglasses, visor, and mask! I had not heard of your syndrome before and I am about to Google it to see if it could apply to me. I saw my optician yesterday but he said he can offer me no more help in the way of stronger glasses. That was disappointing as I had gone there convinced that he could help me with reading, if nothing else.

[lesyeux]

It took years for me to be properly diagnosed. and it was an optician, who I had gone to for a consultation for sclerical lens. They are a lens that cover the whole of the eye and help people with light sensitivity. Anyway the lens were not suitable for me but he said my eyes were very dry, the surface of my eye was damaged and my cornea could be damaged and he referred me to a private dry eye specialist who diagnosed that I had Sjogren's Syndrome. I was absolutely stunned as I had been having my eyes monitored at the hospital for years. The hospital puts eye drops into my eyes to dilate the pupils and then the back of the eye, is scanned and I thought they examined the whole of the eye, but once the pupils are dilated the front of the eye cannot be examined. I have found that very, very few clinicians understand light sensitivity (photophobia). It doesn't necessarily mean that you do have Sjogren's Syndrome if you have light sensitivity but if you google photophobia it will help you know.

[ANGIEIRISH in reply to lesyeux]

thank you again. I have already Googled the symptom but of course, have no way of knowing if it applies ot me but I shall ask my consultant when I see him on the 28th of this month. I may also ask to see another consultant if I'm dismissed too easily - it's a tough call!

[lesyeux]

Good luck, I guess it depends if you consultant is a retinal only specialist. Let me know how you get on.