Hello, grateful as always for you all. I read the posts almost daily and it has helped me so much.
Is it common to have a bloody eye with GCA? The inner white part of my right eye gets red with blood quite often. I can feel a sharp pain behind my eye, then it turns bloody. My GCA is concentrated on the right side of my head, which explains the right eye problem.
Love to hear your experiences and if there is anything that helps. Thank you from California!
Whatever it is, please get it checked by an opthalmologist.
Hi. You may get some reassurance from this:
healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...
but as already advised, make an appointment to see your ophthalmologist.
Usually it’s the Pred not necessarily the GCA… it’s usually related to the tiny blood vessels in eyes which react much like the skin bruising we talk about - seem to come on randomly sometimes - although usually at higher doses.
I saw the Ophthamologist first time, and he assured me nothing to worry about and would go within a week - but if it lasted longer than 2 weeks to go back to him. A few days later it had gone - it did happen a couple of times afterwards but no issue.
But as you have related pain as well, it would be wise to get it checked.
Thank you so much. I'm getting them more often on the Prednisone than I did before.
Of course get it checked but it is common for small Haemorrhages from the small vessels near the surface to occur with Pred. Usually they are painless but sometimes I would get a tiny prick sensation first. My tear film all but vanished so I had to have watery drops through the day and goopy ointment at night. That did reduce the frequency and extent of the haemorrhages and general eye comfort. Until I was below 10mg my optician recommended 3 monthly eye pressure checks.
Wow that sounds awful to not have the tears working! I was getting these even before Prednisone, but they are coming much more often now while on it. Yes, that tiny prick sensation is exactly it. I'm using all the eye ointment and drops too.
Dry eyes is most likely to be Pred as this issue is so commonplace but it’s worth knowing about the autoimmune condition Sjögren’s syndrome , especially if you have very dry mouth as well. I’m a fan of get knowledge, don’t panic but park it. Mind you Pred gave me a dry mouth simply because I was so prone to fluid retention ie the water was in the wrong places half the time.
It is almost certainly a subconjunctival bleed and is nothing to do with the GCA - except being on pred makes it more likely to happen. My husband (never on pred) had them regularly but I have only ever had one - I put my hand up to rub my eye, felt a sharp pain and when I happened to see myself in the mirror a few minutes later - bright red eye! I went to the GP as I take anticoagulant medication and she rang the eye department who said no worries, it would fade in a week or so and no need to worry about the anticoags. As Snazzy says, dry eyes make it worse.
mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...
Thank you. Yes, I even got them before GCA and Prednisone. Yours is the same experience I have had. Yes, dry eyes too
I get this regularly. I can feel the big ones as they happen, they're pretty uncomfortable for about 10 mins. I remember my mum had them and had thought that it was a genetic thing. It's only recently I've realised it's the Pred effect on small vessels.
Wow. I thought it was something else too. I actually got them before I was diagnosed. Maybe I had GCA earlier than I thought. Thank you for your message. Yours feels exactly like mine does.
I’ve had this often with GCA and prednisone. It always just went away.
I suspected the steroids when one of my eyes went bright red with no white showing at all. It was just before Halloween so I had the right look! It went away again after a couple of weeks or so.
I know the feeling. Thank you for your message
Hi...as others have commented, I would have a bloody-looking eye with higher doses of pred. My opthalmologist gave the same advice....it will go away. I found I had blood vessels rupturing in various places on my body!!
I don't recall any pain with it, however. Keep a watch on that...💗
Thank you so much. We're not alone in this!
Thank you all so much. I'm sorry to say, but I'm glad you've dealt with it too and not to worry. I appreciate the support.
I had this from prednisone and while very dramatic looking it didn't impair my vision or cause any real discomfort.
Yep, that picture is how I look now and then! Since I got below 10 mg pred, it hasn't happened at all. No pain but dry eyes seem to bring it on.
I get those way too often. Yes, it doesn't hurt but it sure looks scary. At least we're not the only ones dealing with this!
It needs medical assessment. I do recall other PMR/GCA sufferers with the same issue and a photo that was posted. I cannot remember what the link, if any, there was to our conditions.
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