Another undiagnosed newby

[Suebee]

It's a bit of a long story, but I'll try to be brief. Last December I failed home antibiotic treatment for pneumonia in one lung and was hospitalized for five days, during which I was given an ocean of IV antibiotics and eventually tentatively diagnosed with autoimmune pneumonitis in both lungs. My PCP thought there might be an underlying vasculitis, but the pulmonologist who reviewed my case disagreed with the whole autoimmune hypothesis and opined that I had had cryptogenic organizing pneumonia, a reaction to the original antibiotics. I noticed, when I was finally feeling well enough to notice such things, that I was getting vertical double vision after close work. Four months ago, at my annual optometrist appointment, I was told that I now have drusen and that it and problems like double vision often make their initial appearance after a serious illness. I asked the doc to be alert to signs of uveitis. He said there were no obvious signs and that I would be severely photophobic if I had that. For the last several weeks I've had some redness in my left eye, which seems to be gradually worsening. The bottom half of that eye is now red enough to cause comment. I get a sharp, tugging pain in the inner corner now and then when I move my eyes quickly. My eyes (and mouth) are dry at night.

I don't know whether to think that I'm developing a serious problem, possibly related to some undiagnosed underlying autoimmune disorder, or that I just have an ordinary case of dry eyes with unilateral redness. I have an appointment with my PCP in two weeks, so I'll have a chance to get a doc's opinion then. I'm wondering whether my history and symptoms call for a work-in visit before then to the optometrist or a request for an appointment with the one and only ophthalmologist in town, whom I've never been to before.

[Mike Bartolatz]

to diagnose and treat things linked to uveitis one requires an OPHTHALMOLOGIST. see the one and only one in your town. severe dry eyes can be linked to many things, the most common of which when seen with uveitis is systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren's syndrome, then sarcoidosis and mixed connective tissue diseases and other inflammatory/arthritis related condition seen in conjunction with HLA B27 gene.

get in to see the ophthalmologist. the red eye is of concern and could be from dry eyes or from uveitis or episcleritis, ocular allergy etc.

mike