[Mrs M]

Hi hope today's a good day!!!

Just wanted your thoughts on an eye test I've had today. I'm not diagnosed and it was suggested that I have an eye test along with a dry eye test. Results are that I don't need glasses so the pain and headaches are due to something else the optician said!

Also the dry eye test came back slightly dry. Does this have any significance and should I let the docs know?

Many thanks and take care.

Mrs M xx

 

[onetay]

Mrs M,
I would ask that the report be forwarded to your doctors office as you have had all things checked that you should and the eye doctor has said that it is something else. You never know what the dry eyes may mean depending on the other symptoms you are having. I hope you are feeling well and that things are going go for you today also.

 

[tbunny1]

I do hope you saw an opthomologist (an MD that specializes in disease of the eye), and not just the optomitrist (a technician trained to exam for glasses). They may mean well, but do not have the training and experience needed to exam your eyes for disease.

Dry eyes can indicate Sjorgrens Syndrome, another autoimmune disease closely related to lupus. There is information available regarding this on the home page of this site, I believe (Mods correct me if I am wrong). Pain in the eye could be so many different things, it would be impossible to list them all here.

There are numerous threads regarding lupus and eye disease available for you to read. From the message board/forums home page, use the Search field to find other discussions more in depth.

Here's hoping it's nothing serious. Eyes and your vision are nothing to mess around with!

 

[KarolH]

I agree with tbunny in that I also hope you saw a opthamologist. I do think you need to get a copy of the report faxed over to any other doctors involved in your care.

I do hope you get some answers and yes, mention it to all treating physicians.

 

[Lily]

Hi Mrs. M.

It would be helpful to find out exactly what he meant by 'slightly dry'! That doesn't tell you a whole lot. They have measurements they go by for diagnostic purposes. Producing anything over 10mm wetting over 5 minutes is normal production, anything under 5 is classed as very significant. So you need to contact him and find out where in that spectrum you fell. Mine was 0 and I didn't have any symptoms of dry eye amazingly enough. When they did the Rose Bengal staining they found a tear on the surface of my eye so in those circumstances it was helpful to my doctors as far as moving along in the right direction with my diagnosis.

http://www.agingeye.net/dryeyes/dryeeyeseyeexam.php

love
Lily

 

[Mrs M]

Thankyou for your replies.

It was just a local opticians I went to and not an opthamologist which maybe could be the next step! It was reassuring to know that my eye sight is fine and that I don't need glasses. It's good to rule things out if nothing else.

The link you put Lily I've just had a look at and it was very interesting. I was under the impression that the opticians were going to do the schirmers test but after reading the link I see that he did the ' phenol red thread test'. Is this a reliable test?

I did get a copy of the report he did which was very short but stated that my symptoms weren't due to me needing glasses and that I have slightly dry eyes...

I will definitely take it to my GP when I see him next week and take it from there.

Mrs M x

 

[Lily]

Hi again,

I have no idea as I've never had that test, I know that the University hospitals still go by the Shirmer's test, don't know if it's more accurate than what you had or not.

Keep plugging away you will get there eventually

Did he recommend any drops for your eyes?

love
Lily

 

[Mrs M]

Hi Lily

I will try to continue to find answers although it's an extremely long and tiring road.
The optician didn't recommend any drops I presume because my eyes are only slightly dry. I wonder is it normal to have slighlty dry eyes at he age of 30 and I'm a little concerned that now I'm on antihistamines daily they will become dryer as I've read it's a side effect? If so would eye drops maybe required then?

Take care Mrs M x

 

[Lily]

Hi again,

Yes it's been a long and ardous road for you I know :hug:

I think I'd be trying to find out the numbers on that eye test so you yourself can see where you fall and compare it with the link I gave. You will be able to make informed decisions then.

Anti-histamines and also certain anti-depressants are known causes for eye dryness (there are some other meds too) and usually they take this into consideration when reading any test results.

love
Lily

 

[Katharine]

Hello there,

I would agree with the others that it would be worth seeing an opthalmologist. I did mention dry eyes to my rheumy when I was still trying to find a diagnosis of some kind and she told me to see the opthalmologist.

I was actually fine on the Shirmers test but my eyes felt scratchy and awful. My mouth was also very dry all the time (and other more intimate areas). As nothing conclusive came from the eye test I was sent on to a dermy to do a sjorgens biopsy. It was she (and her just out of school) who, on seeing a pic of my malar rash, got all excited and decided to do a skin biopsy too. The sjorgens biopsy was negative but the skin biospy was very positive for lupus.

So, yes, it needs mentioning. Dry eyes are quite common in lupus too even if they're not dry enough for the Shirmers test.

Since I have been on treatment and my disease has been better controlled, I rarely have scratchy eyes any more and all the other dry areas have also cleared up 100%.

It can be very hard to find out exactly what is going on but if you know in your heart and mind that you are not right and that this is not normal then you just have to keep plugging away looking for answers.

Katharine

 

[Clare.T]

Hello Mrs M

You are having a very grim time facing a casualness bordering on negligence and lack of communication and efficiency that amounts to failure of care.

On the purely practical side and without knowing how your eyes are bothering you, except that your sight is OK, the "see -an- ophthalmologist" advice is hardly realistic in the UK. A GP's referral is needed to see a specialist and the likelihood of getting one simply to have dry eye tests is probably as remote as a snowball's in the proverbial.

These tests would be done by the rheumy as part of the diagnosis of lupus but I am not at all sure how common the practice is. Of course they might be an essential part of a Sjogren's diagnosis.

I don't know of any reason why you shouldn't try OTC eye care or ask your GP to prescribe, if it would be cheaper on prescription. I haven't looked at the prices recently. I have read that it is best to avoid eye drops containing preservatives.

I wish you the strength and determination to harrass the docs about getting the biopsy done.

Many Hugs
Clare

 

[Mrs M]

Hi Guys

Once again thankyou for your help and great advice. Seeing the docs this week and will be letting them know about the dry eye test and see what excuse they try to come up with to ignore it:lol:

Just to say Clare I got my bullish head on and spoke to the dermy and more or less demanded a skin biopsy. Yippeee his secretary rang a couple of hours ago and I have it done tomorrow Tues at 1pm. Little nervous cause don't know what to expect other than the dermy said that it's the worse place on your toes to have a biopsy as it will hurt Like I told him I'm willing to go through with anything if it gets me closer to a possible diagnosis.

Mrs M x

Hope you all had a great weekend:hehe: