Introduction

[kimpi]

I'm new to the board but not to iritis. About 14 years ago I was diagnosed with Pink Eye and was given an ointment for my eye. After a few weeks, it went away only to return (cannot remember how long between the two episodes). In looking back, I remember my shoulders aching so bad to the point where my range of motion was limited. I could move my arms back and forth but could not raise them to the side. Since we have moved south, my shoulder aches have stopped. It wasn't until I moved down south that I finally had a diagnosis. In the beginning, the episodes were far and few between and in only one eye. I do have them more frequently and in both eyes. Right now, I'm starting an episode in both eyes. I have eye pain, my eyes are red and bother me with the sunlight and have the usual headache that accompanies it. A few years back, I was sent for blood work ( RA, Lyme's disease - I don't remember the others). All came back negative. I have chronic pain - low back pain, right hip pain, my joints in my fingers hurt (sometimes they feel like they are burning if I touch the joints). Sometimes different places on my body hurts - almost as if I bruised myself. Even my knees and ankles hurt. I feel like I have certain trigger factors that set an episode off but my eye dr. doesn't think there is a connection. I know if I come near a room with cigarette smoke it sets one off. Also, if I come into contact with certain cleaning products, it sets one off. Three times now our office building has had a major water leak. They had huge industrial fans going and within a 1/2-1 hour, I developed a flare up. I've even developed a flare up after an appointment. Treatment has always been the same, steroid eye drops. Is iritis something that will eventually go away or will it be with me the rest of my life. Thank you for any insight.

Kim

[Mike Bartolatz]

Kim
it sounds like you are gettin OLD SCHOOL treatment for your uveitis, Dr Jaffe at Duke is an excellent ocular immunologist who can figure out what is going on and get you on a steriod sparing treatment program. if you allow uveitis to retunr and only treat with corticosteroids, you will develop cataracts for sure (they appear after about 850 drops of prednisilone acetate 1%) or they can appear just from the uveitis. over time other things can occur such as Glaucoma in some people, epiretinal membranes can form as can cystoid macular edema which can cause areas of distortion or even missing vision.

rarely detached retina can occur as can vascularization of the retina.

you have what MIGHT be arthritis throughout your body. someone needs to do some tests such as the HLA B27 test as well as Rheumatoid Factor, Anti nuclear Antibodies and if these are positive, then do additonal tests. Dr Jaffe can order tests accordingly and has other imaging devices that most opthalmologists do not have.

please join us in our Discussion forums as this Introduce yourself form can only be replied to by moderators.

wishing you the very best,
Mike