Red Eyes?

[jhol]

hi there,

 

about 4 years ago i had what i thought was recurring conjunctivitis and basically just put up with it until one day when i woke up and both eyes were devil red.went to the walk in center and the doc sent me straight to the eye hospital.

so to cut a long story short, i went 4 times, cost me 20 quid each time, they didnt know what was wrong, the young man(nurse) that was seeing to me asked a doc to look and she said "stop wearing makeup ???) how i kept my mouth shut i dont know- the nurse must have seen the look on my face and said - i think its scleritis,id like to see you again next week. well me being me thought sod that and never went back!!

so i woke up yesterday and my right eye is all blood shot again.not just a bit , i look like ive been punched in it!! ive not poked it or got anything in it- im just really pissed off. not eaten anything different either. 

my eye is aching and ive got headache and i cant take anything coz i had a reaction to my painkillers - think it was the aspirin in them .

so has anyone else had this?- could it be irritation from allergies/intolerances or just coincidence  

 

so fed up !

[kareng]

My oldest son gets red eyes when he gets a virus or a cold. It could be allergies. You could have gotten dirt in it and scratched it. Lots of things it could be.

[GF Lover]

Probably should see an eye doctor.  Seems to be getting worse.

 

Colleen 

[1desperateladysaved]

Our functional Medicine doctor told me that he looks for health in unhealthy people.  He checks the whites of the eyes.  If they are red, it is a sign that something isn't healthy.  I checked his eyes-Perfectly white.  I checked my eyes-much redness.

Work on getting healthy.

 

Diana

[Gemini]

Health has nothing to do with this.  jhol...please have them do the blood work to test you for Sjogren's Syndrome, which is another autoimmune disease that happens much more frequently in Celiacs.  I have Sjogren's and this past couple of weeks, because of the mold count over here aggravating the underlying AI problem, I look like a hell hound.  My eyes go completely red and ache.  They are also extremely dry.  They can check for antibodies for this but it's like celiac....you can test negative and still have it.  Fun, huh?  It could certainly be something else but when your eyes go completely red and actually hurt, those are symptoms of Sjogren's.  It is often aggravated by allergies.  I can usually control it pretty well but when the mold count rises, I am in misery. 

 

I would suggest buying one of those over the counter eye lubrcant drops and use them freely to keep your eye hydrated.  But I hear you about the doctors and "sod it" is a good way to put it.  I also got conjunctivitis a couple of times from having Sjogren's.  I use Restasis eye drops which are prescription and they combat the inflammation in my eyes from them being so dry.  Your problem sounds identical to mine so I would encourage you to discuss this with the doctors because they are never going to figure this out.  Mine never did and I had textbook symptoms.  I ended up figuring it out on my own and went back to the dopes and requested the test.  It was positive.

 

Good luck and if you have any other questions, feel free to ask!

[june27]

I have not been diagnosed with Sjogren's, but also experience very dry eyes and allergies.  I started using Restatis during the 6 months, and it is doing wonders!  I still use allergy drops on occasion, but not nearly as much as in the past, and my eyes are looking and feeling much better.  

 

My boyfriend sometimes gets iritis, though generally only one eye at a time. When my eyes are bothering me, they are red/pink - when he gets iritis, they get bright red.  I believe it is also very painful.  Anyway, might be worth checking out.  His doc gives him steroid drops (same stuff mine gives me for my bad allergies) to help with the inflammation.  

[jhol]

hi all and thanks for answering,

 

i have been thinking of sjogens but didnt know it caused red eyes, just because my mouths been very dry and "other bits" lol but just put that down to age!  i,ll google it again and check it out.

thanks

[Gemini]

I have not been diagnosed with Sjogren's, but also experience very dry eyes and allergies.  I started using Restatis during the 6 months, and it is doing wonders!  I still use allergy drops on occasion, but not nearly as much as in the past, and my eyes are looking and feeling much better.  

 

My boyfriend sometimes gets iritis, though generally only one eye at a time. When my eyes are bothering me, they are red/pink - when he gets iritis, they get bright red.  I believe it is also very painful.  Anyway, might be worth checking out.  His doc gives him steroid drops (same stuff mine gives me for my bad allergies) to help with the inflammation.  

Hi June27!

       Glad to hear the Restasis is working for you.  I really hate the fact that I have to use these forever (or until something better comes along), but got tired of having brick red eyes and having them hurt.  It does work well, though.

[Gemini]

hi all and thanks for answering,

 

i have been thinking of sjogens but didnt know it caused red eyes, just because my mouths been very dry and "other bits" lol but just put that down to age!  i,ll google it again and check it out.

thanks

Your eyes will get extremely red from inflammation from dry eye/Sjogren's.  The fact that you have a very dry mouth and "other bits" raises the red flag!  Guess it's time to educate your doctors.......not that I want you to have Sjogren's but it's another one they never look for.  My niece has Sjogren's also and she actually had the enlarged parotid glands from it.  It looks like you have the mumps when this happens and yet......with complaints of extremely dry mouth and enlarged glands, they STILL did not figure it out.  I did.  Honestly, I should hang a shingle and practice but I'd get in trouble. 

 

Good luck and I hope you can figure this out.  Red, irritated eyes are no fun.

[june27]

Gemini - 

I also am not a big fan of having to use meds everyday, forever, but it really does make life so much better!  I used to have to use the steroid drops 4 times a day this time of year, and still not really get relief.  Now, I am done to Restatis 2 times a day, and occasionally needing 1 drop of the steroid drops.  I have also noticed that my eyes must be producing more tears than in recent years, because I started getting 'goop' in them when my allergies were bothering me (this used to be a terrible problem for me, and then one day I realized that the goopy eyes had been replaced with very dry eyes).  The changes seem to happen over such a long period of time that you don't really even notice it - until you realize one day that things are completely different.  

 

 

jhol - 

other things that help with the dry eyes are:

preservative-free lubricating drops (I use Refresh PLUS)

ointment at night (particularly during the colder/drier months)

humidified in bedroom (I only use this in the drier months, but it really makes a big difference)

some companies also make eye gel/drops - they are more soothing than a standard drop, but not as thick as an ointment so you can use them during the day.  

Good Luck!

[Gemini]

We must be eye twins, june!  I was exactly the same way, although this year, the mold is killing me.  Allergies pretty much just affect my eyes and, with all the snow we got this winter, the past 2 weeks were brutal for me.  Red, swollen eyes that ached.  Lovely.  The OTC allergy eye drops only give me relief for a couple of hours.  I just do not want to go to steroid use so I stay indoors and run the AC to dry the air out in the house.  That helps.  My eyes are pretty much trashed but they are better, for the most part, due to the gluten-free diet and calming of my immune system.  However, the damage to my lacrimal and salivery glands was extensive and I am never getting that back.  I suffer when the humidity runs high but for most of the year, I am OK and do what you do.  Lots and lots of Refresh....I should have bought stock in that company!

[june27]

ha ha 

 

i am told that i am not allergic to mold, though my eyes often bother me after a good rain storm (which should make them feel better).  in past years, i would be ready to claw my eyes out this time of year.  the restasis has really done wonders for me!  before they put me on steroid drops, they recommended zatidor.  if you haven't tried it, it is worth a shot.  

 

i am able to get away with less of the refresh drops in the warmer months, but in the winter, i use it like crazy

[Gemini]

ha ha 

 

i am told that i am not allergic to mold, though my eyes often bother me after a good rain storm (which should make them feel better).  in past years, i would be ready to claw my eyes out this time of year.  the restasis has really done wonders for me!  before they put me on steroid drops, they recommended zatidor.  if you haven't tried it, it is worth a shot.  

 

i am able to get away with less of the refresh drops in the warmer months, but in the winter, i use it like crazy

I have tried many allergy eye drops, including Zaditor, and they all only give me a few hours relief...and it's not that great relief either.  I think having Sjogren's and the underlying problem of dry eye pretty much has me screwed. 

The eye drops further dry out my eyes so it's a catch 22.  I can picture myself living in an igloo, somewhere in Canada, for my retirement.  Cold weather is the only time my eyes feel good...when everything in the environment is dead or asleep.   Great, isn't it?