Sticky eyes

[1964-karina]

Hi, sorry another question! Does anybody else have a sticky eye discharge, only from the outer part of my eye which also has a slight odour! 🤨

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Not something I've heard anyone complain of before. Not a normal part of PMR at least.

It could be conjunctivitis or blepharitis - would be a good idea to check with the doctor. And if you have to wait for weeks for an appointment, you could ask an optometrist.

[Suetum in reply to PMRpro]

While waiting for the appointment bathe with cool boiled water- if blepharitis there is an eye mask you can buy on Amazon that you heat and put on your eyes, it works and is so relaxing

[Pongo13]

Ive had every thing going - anyone sneezes or coughs - that's me done for! I had conjunctivitis but managed to treat with pharmacy products. Poor you. How miserable. Sending hugs.

[SheffieldJane]

I have a tendency towards these low level infections too that persist. I kind of assume that I am prone to this sort of thing because my immune system is compromised. If I saw a doctor for every small thing I’d never be out of there. Initially I would get pharmacy advice.

Do you find yourself on a kind of high alert for everything? I certainly did and do. I think it’s part of the shock of your body letting you down and developing PMR.

[GOOD_GRIEF in reply to SheffieldJane]

I am on high alert for both viral and bacterial infections. I've been lucky so far. Even living in NYC I've avoided everything except one mild cold last fall.

But I watch any little thing that comes up so that it doesn't blow up into some big thing.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi,

Would think maybe blepharitis, can remember Kate saying she had when I queried similar problem

See first reply to my post re “dry eye”. Might help

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

Or bathe with cooled boiled water, but Kate’s trick with baby shampoo etc worked for me.

[SheffieldJane in reply to DorsetLady]

What a useful thread! What an amazing memory you have to locate it. The sharp brain comes back then, good!

I used to know about the eye massage thing and forgot. My eyes feel very strained tonight, who knows, it might be congestion. Thanks!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to SheffieldJane]

Never mind being a 🐏, got a memory like an 🐘!

[SheffieldJane in reply to DorsetLady]

I see what you did there 😂

[Rose54]

Hi

Agree with PMRpro and DorsetLady

blepharitis Baby Shampoo works wonders dilute in warn water and clean inside of eyelids with cotton wool bud twice a day.

Often goes with Autoimmune illness so my GP informed me

[Soraya_PMR in reply to Rose54]

Inside of eyelids? Ouch!

[Hidden in reply to Soraya_PMR]

No, not inside of eyelid, I think Rose54 meant where the eye lashes emerge from the eye lid 🤔

[Rose54 in reply to Soraya_PMR]

Sounds horrendous but works and not painful

You can also purchase heat pads to warm the eye

The traditional way is to use a cotton wool bud that has been dipped in diluted baby shampoo. Just add a few drops of baby shampoo to a small cup of warm water so that the ratio of water to shampoo is about 10:1. Squeeze out excess liquid from the cotton bud to prevent drips getting into your eyes, which may irritate. In particular, try to clean off any crusts at the base of the eyelids. After cleaning the eyelids with the cotton wool bud, wash off the shampoo from the eyelids, using a flannel or cloth.

[Soraya_PMR in reply to Rose54]

I can understand cleaning where the eyelashes emerge, like Hidden describes. But does cleaning inside eyelids not cause your eyes to stream?

Heat pads sound nice. But I’m funny with eyes. I couldn’t bring myself to go delving inside my eyelids. I’d want something sterile!

[SheffieldJane in reply to Soraya_PMR]

Cool boiled water I guess, in a scalded container. Baby shampoo doesn’t hurt the eyes but I would only use it if the eyelashes were really crusty.

[Rose54 in reply to Soraya_PMR]

Hi

Its caused by glands being blocked so you get this sticky substance along the eye lashes and sometimes can cloud your vision .The advice i was given was to hold hot compresses on the eye ,then to gently pull the eyelid down or up so you are able to clean just inside not touching your eye itself but just inside the eyelash line .

Massage helps as well as it gets these glands working so stops the build up of the stickiness

This way you clean both inside and out

Optician, Pharmacist ,GP told me the same

My Mum is Diabetic and gets it as well and the Eye Unit at the hospital advised her to do the same .

[Hidden in reply to Soraya_PMR]

Edge of eyelid, not inside of eyelid. Where the eyelashes grow from eyelid.

[SnazzyD]

Since being on Pred I’ve had a tendency to sticky eyes from conjunctivitis and surface blood vessels popping. The optician said I had practically to tear film so my eyes were getting a subtle abrasion all the time, causing infection. I now use ‘false tears’ eye drops and a thicker one at night if needed.

[Insight329]

Yes. Right when I was getting diagnosed with GCA, my right eyelid got a tiny bit droopy and my eye felt like it was wanting to stick closed when I'd blink (for lack of a better description). During my one and only flare, it did it again. Didn't have a problem with it before, nor after, other than the flare. Weird, huh?

[Hindags]

In my third to seventh month of PMR at about 15mgs I had a series of sties, and my blepheritis was much worse than usual. On a few occasions my lids were almost stuck closed on the morning.

I was given some eye drops that helped. I was also told to soak my eyes with warm water several times a day. I used 100% cotton makeup removers, one for each eye, and threw them out after each use. Cheaper than the eye wipes they have at the Pharmacy.

[PMRnewbie2017]

Spot on advice from all the above. Warm compresses followed by massage of the eyelash margin is the key. You may find it releases tiny gritty grains of hardened secretion from the glands. This will have unblocked the ducts and the tear film and condition will improve. If you wear mascara and have had anything going on with your eyes, don't forget to throw it away!! I often wondered why my blepharitis kept coming back until someone suggested mascara had become contaminated. Also if I don't do the "eye routine" regularly the blepharitis flares, but on a daily basis I don't use the shampoo. Just warm compresses and massage.

If the above doesn't fix it within two days or if the white of your eye looks reddened and has a glassy looking film over it ( inflamed sclera) go to gp. Pharmacists can also counter prescribe for conjunctivitis.

[Hindags]

I forgot to mention that I use a no soap soap called Vanicream. It is a very mild cleanser in bar form recommended when a dermatologist thought I might have rosacea. I can use it to wash my eyelashes without any irritation.. More convenient for me than using diluted baby shampoo.