Itchy, sore eyes...urgh.
From nowhere my eyes are now driving me crazy!
I have never suffered from hay fever but am wondering whether the increase in mtx might have made me more susceptible to pollen? It co-insided with a trip that saw us drive past fields of rape seed...am I putting two and two together and getting 5?
I have dry eye Jo- and was told it is caused by Sjogrens syndrome which causes the tear ducts to not produce enough water and also drys up your salivary glands. Can be diagnosed by a simple test where the doc places a bit of paper in your eye and measure tear production YOu have to watch for teeth problems due to lack of normal saliva. I had no idea I had it- just thought i always looked knackered and a bit sore around the eyes. You can have primary or secondary sjogrens. I wsa diagnosed with primary and now secondary to RA. Sjogrens is linked to an increased risk of Lymphoma.
After all that you prob just have hayfever or are knackered from the kiddies
Hope it feels better soon
love fiona xxxx
Hi Jo, same as mand not heard this, but we blame the drugs for everything, well I do lol. I have this dry eye syndrome but not had itchy eyes in fact I used to get hayfever but seems to have dissapeared
Get them checked out as we only get one pair a lifetime
Good luck
Tricia Px
hi if itchy.. but not so sore.. could be hay fever.. wear sunglasses obvious i know !but a physical barrier...small of vaseline around eye and nose area to trap pollen... this is if allergy/havfever.. you buy drops other counter.. sodium cromiglocate2% or "opticrom" if you want to pay for a brand!!.
other possibiltiy alllergic conjuntctivitis.. red eyes.. sticky discharge usually on waking.., need anti biotic drops.. other the counter chloramphenicol.. fridge item.. 7 days should sort..
.3RD option dry eyes feel sore, v dry uncomfortable maybe but less likely slightly itchy.." sno tears" are good I use these you can buy from pharmacist for bouT £1.50...
Go to either you local pharmacist.. he/she will listen to your symptoms and examine eyes.. sounds like hay fever.. but it could be one of three things..
this will be quicker than gp appt.. option 2 Opticians some times oblige.. may be a charge??.. are you due an eye test you could combine the two....
disclaimer.. this is not intendended to replace medical advice... this would be my standard check list of possible eye problems.. when worked in retail pharmacy... you need to speak to some one face to face and the can hace a quick peak at your eyes.. all these items can be bought from a pharmacy for less than the £7.40 prescription charge
Alison
Hi Jo,
Dont want to worry you, but.
Please get this checked out by your doctor just to be on the safe side.
I got similar symptons a few years ago, I did the same as you put it down to meds, hayfever etc and left it till I woke one morning and it hurt so bad to try and see it was unbearable, I went to the doctors and was refered urgent to the eye hospital.
An hour after seeing my doctor I had an eye specialist trying to get my eyes open (they were that painfull I dident want him too) when he finally looked at them I had Uveitis. I was unlucky and had Anterior uveitis and Posterior uveitis because I'd just left it and not got it treated it was very hard to shift, it took me over 12 months to get back to normal vision, and my optician has changed my prescription due to damage its done to my eyesight (through not getting it checked out), I still have painfull moments from it and I have very dry eyes from it along with photophobia and floaters and headaches. Uveitis is RA related apparently well so my doctor and rheumy told me.
So for the sake of a 10 minute appointment at the doctors or opticians I would defo just get it checked out.
It certainly could be just something minor and it could be related to the meds, I found this link for you: inspire.com/groups/talk-pso...
Its another discusion about people having issues with mthx causing eye problems.
Hope you get this all sorted soon.
Julie xxx
I actually stumbled across this article earlier too! It's interesting to hear that others and yourself have had eye problems with the RA. I went specifically to my optician after being diagnosed and told her about my RA and asked her what affect it could have, she said dry eyes with no mention of anything else...I will see what the GP says tomorrow, it's making me feel pretty lousy now, thought I was just tired yesterday but don't think so now! Piriton hasn't helped 
Thank you everyone for your answers - it's nice to see this aspect of HU working so effeciently!
I am having my bloods done with the practice nurse tomorrow so I will try and catch the GP then, it's driving me nuts now. My whole face itches around my eyes and inside my eyes/eyelids feel awful and they're sore and senstivie to light too...great stuff huh!?
Will let you know how I get on, thanks again!
Jo x
Hi Jo,
Defo get it checked out - I've got secondary Sjogrun's Syndrome and use artificial tears, also developed cataracts from all the steroids and have little sight left in my right eye and poor sight in my left - first surgery in 10 days time for cataracts. Have seen that quite a few people with RA have uveitus of one form or another. You need to see someone who can do a proper examination of inside your eye - so don't be fobbed off til you've got a proper exam and answers!
Cece x
get to the dr asap it sounds worse than you first described.., i had bad eyes one night.. things are always worse at night panicked incase it was a serius thing like uvetitis.. in my case after a nice chat with doc on phone.. on he didnt examine we spoke on phone.. he calmed me i had decided it was something serious like above or iritis.. but after runnnig through a check list with him other the phone. and peering into the mirror. checking my vision field etc he diagnosed over the phone and. . decided in my case it was dry eye or similar symptons to sjorgens. so when sainsbury pharmacy opened at 7am i shot off to buy sno tears.. dont take chances if it is getting worse go to out of hours dr/ speak to pharmacist.. supermarket pharmacys open til 9am and ten and some suxh sainsburys 11am.. worked for asda pharmacy 7 years... they have asked me to help out couple of evening shifts.. not well enough at moment.. they only open til 8am mon til thurand 9pm fri 8pm sat 10-4 sun... if any of you get stuck for meds or advice late or night or early morn remember your supermarket pharmacies can help...
Hi Jo how did you get on at the doctors?
Yes my optician told me lots about my eye condition and even does 6 month check ups now to monitor them. When I first went to see him after getting uve
Sorry hands again! WHen I first seen him after getting uveitus he asked if he could call his trainee in to show them the damage then he proceeded to take pictures of the damage to show-off but At least he understands and keeps a close check on them x TAke care Julie. X x. X
Hi Julie, doc reckons it's an allergic reaction and drops and piriton are helping - one day I'll be fine and the next they'll be itchy again but much better than I was. Not sore now, think they were painful from me rubbing them more than anything else! I hope you're ok too? xx
Hi Jo, thanks yeah I had a very bad night last night but really hoping for a better one tonight. Glad they seem to have found the problem, hoping it clears up for you soon xxx Take care xxx Julie xx
Hydroxychloroquinne and sore dry eyes that hurt in the sunshine
Itchy shins especially at night
Itchy
Eyes
Hi Jo, never heard of that connection MTX and hay fever, may be someone else has. I know that the RA can sometimes affect the eyes, making them dry, known as "dry eye", caused by lack of tears could be a connection there I had some drops from my GP to help.
Hope your ok
mand xx