eye pain and unusual eye symptoms with gca

[Rrnijmv]

Hi did anyone get strange visual effects first thing in the morning probley before going on pred . I used to wake up with what looked like an eclipse. I was also sitting here today feeling not great my eyes very blurry then all of a sudden I had avery sharp pain in my left eye it feels like some pressure has been relieved has this happened to anyone else. ? Sorry if this a bit of a waffle I'm just curious.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

You really should consider going to A&E/ED if you get such symptoms. The most common time to experience visual symptoms with GCA is in the morning on waking or waking after a nap during the day.

A week or so ago I had a vague but sharp pain around my eye, I rubbed it (as you do) and when I went to the loo later I discovered I'd developed a quite outstanding subconjunctival bleed! Checked with the GP, who checked with the eye department at the hospital (I'm on anticoagulants) and that was it. It is just fading now.

[jinasc in reply to PMRpro]

Please do what PMRpor has told you, your sight is precious and if it goes its gone. Sorry to be harsh but that is the bottom line and no-one wants that to happen.

[RedSassy in reply to PMRpro]

***URGENT***Please do not delay!

Mother in law did - has now lost sight (permanently) in both eyes. Could have been avoided if a) we’d known she had such a serious condition & b) she’d acted quickly - prob waited 3 days. Massive steroid dose has made no difference.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to RedSassy]

I'm so sorry - we have had several children of patients like your mother telling similar stories in the last year. A great part of the work of the charity is publicity, and the reason the people who got it going did so in the hope of preventing such events which are still occurring far too often. There have been several articles in the mainstream media in recent years, there have been workshops for education of both the public and GPs but the bottom line is that the patient must seek help as soon as they have symptoms. When those symptoms are visual, it is an urgent sign to act - there is at best a week's window when treatment MAY be successful. Such symptoms can also be for stroke or TIA (ministroke) as well as other eye emergencies so do require immediate investigation and treatment where required.

Had you posted your question in a more definite way you would have been met with a large chorus of "get to A&E immediately. Had she had any other signs or symptoms in the weeks previously?

[SheffieldJane]

It is not a waffle at all, very clear! Please get in touch with your doctor. I don’t think your dose of Pred has done the trick. You may well need a higher dose to deal with the inflammation. Treat as an urgent medical emergency!