The Day it Felt like my Eye was stuck in a Cheese Grater

[eman]

Greetings!

I think at this point--about 24 hours after having had the ophthalmologist inform me that I had iritis, as much as it is to absorb (some of which is still unknown, depending on the results of the bloodwork and other additional tests the ophthalmologist ordered), and as frustrated as I am by the continued redness and irritation in my eye (though even at this point, it's gone from feeling like someone took a cheese grater to it to feeling more like there's an eyelash that won't come out), I also feel really lucky. . . so why is that?

A week ago, (coincidentally two days after having been given my flu shot) I woke up thinking I had a particularly nasty case of pink eye. I had to go to work, so I figured I'd just pop into urgent care afterward . . . though as the day progressed, it started hurting a bit more--and by the time I got to urgent care, I told the doctor, that it felt unlike any other case of pink eye I'd ever had (all 3 of them in my 36 years), and that I also found it weird that my eye wasn't crusty. She said it was probably a nasty infection from my contacts, gave me a prescription for Cipro eye drops and sent me on my way.

Interestingly, things improved with the Cipro drops. For two days. By Monday my eye was getting sore and red again, and my Tuesday, it was markedly worse. Wednesday, I was in so much pain, that I decided maybe I had to return to urgent care, as it was to the point that I couldn't move my eyes in my head. I had a different doctor that time, and after examining me, he said he believed that I had iritis and referred me to an ophthamologist.

She confirmed that diagnosis, and dilating my eyes provided almost instant relief. I'm now on both atropine eye drops and the prednisone eye drops (every two hours, though she said I could do it every hour for the first week), and already having improvement. And I feel lucky, because I can only imagine how much frustration I might have met if the second doctor hadn't been as on the ball.

As for the rest, I'm also going to be undergoing a battery of additional tests, because while I've always considered myself to be a fairly healthy and relatively athletic adult with no medical problems beyond, allergies, asthma, and ADHD, I do have family members with rheumatoid arthritis and my half sister has lupus. So, the ophthalmologist has ordered a whole autoimmune workup for me. And then, because I participate in a therapy dog group, and my dog and I regularly visit health care facilities, I also have to have a chest x-ray and TB test. Personally I'm hoping they're both negative, and I'm just one of those frustrating idiopathic cases, but if not, I'll deal with it.

And in the mean time, I'm looking forward to my follow-up visit next week, and patiently waiting for the little dim spots to disappear from my line of site.

And in closing, having given this a bit of thought, as sincerely glad I am to have had this caught, diagnosed, and now treated--I also wouldn't wish it on anyone, except maybe Charles Manson and Hitler.

[Mike Bartolatz]

welcome to the group and I have to admit, wishing this on those two is what I would do as well!

hopefully yours will be a one off situation but the fact that you have a history of 'pink eye' makes me wonder if those too were bouts of iritis (often the case btw).

you might also get some over the counter lubricating eyedrops and put them in the eye about 15 minutes after the other prescription drops to sooth your irritated eye. they can't hurt and if you have dry eyes too, they will help. just buy a major 'brand' not the take out the red ones as that is NOT indicated for iritis.

if you have polarized wrap around sunglasses, wear them inside and out to help keep light out of the dilated eye.

join us in our general discussion forum too and lets continue this dialogue,

wish you the best,
mike