[Hatty]

Hello
I am just wondering whether the latest thing to grab me is related to lupus. Yesterday I suddenly had the sensation of something in my eye, under my eyelid. The eye has gone red and really hurts if I close it, and keeps watering. Eventually I went to A&E last night and the doc was surprised to see that there was nothing in there (he stained it and stuff) but said that there was a red patch of infection under the eyelid, and gave me chloramphenicol and said it would get better in a couple of days.
I couldn't basically sleep at all because I can't shut my eye without feeling like there's a great big rock in it! I noticed today that it really really hurts to look into the sun or bright light with that eye. I just looked at the sticky on eye manifestations and wondered if it could actually be lupus related and whether it might be keratitis.

Can anyone help? I'm a bit desperate as exhausted enough with two small children and not being able to sleep because I can't close my eye isn't exactly helping. Is there anything else I should be doing? Will the cream I've got actually help or is there something else?

xHatty

 

[lazylegs]

Hi Hatty,

Eye infections can be very painful indeed. You don't realize how much you move your eye until you have something wrong with it and each movement brings pain. The medication should help, but if it doesn't let your doctor know.

You might want to wear sunglasses to help cut out some of the light since it appears to be bothering you.

Take care,
Lazylegs

 

[Douglas]

Howdy,
Sorry, Hattie, to hear of the new development, about which I know absolutely nothing except that my MD was *emphatic* about my having an opthalmologist examine my eyes regularly. I hadn't twigged to any eye involvement with SLE but he sure scared me.:hehe:
All the best.
Douglas+

 

[Katharine]

Hello Hatty,

I would be extremely cautious with that and even cautious with the A&E doc's "diagnosis". If this doesn't clear up very quickly you need to make sure you see an opthalmologist.

I had a similar experience last year and my GP thought it might be uveitis (I also had that very sensitive to sun thing). He said it can occur quite easily in auto-immune disorders (and it can be quite serious).

He told me that if it hadn't cleared within 48 hours to go directly to the opthalmologist which I did. And, actually, for me it wasn't uveitis but a very very tiny bit of something organic which the GP had not been able to see for some reason (he's usually very good on such things). The opthalmo whipped it out and things improved prety quickly.

As you say, very painful but also potentially serious so don't ignore it if it's not getting better.

Katharine

 

[Maia]

I would also recommend the opthamologist at this point. I had in infection of the lower tear duct years ago (very rare...) which also had the eye watering symptom, red eye, and a quite distinct feeling bulge in the bottom inner corner of my eye. It was also quite painful...

The first opth. doctor actually misdiagnosed the condition in my case because it is so rare. But it progressed so the very next day I saw another opthm. doctor who diagnosed it correctly. I had to see another very specialist eye doctor within an hour... who immediately did a minor surgery type procedure on me to clear out the infection!

This may or may not be what is happening to you but I think given your description you really need to be seen by a specialist quickly.

 

[Hatty]

Katherine you were right!

Just to let you know...

It continued to be really sore so I went to my GP. He was lovely and most concerned re the lupus aspect... had a good look... and there was in fact something in there all along! So he took it out, and all is fine. Oh the joy of being able to close my eyes again!

xHatty

 

[lazylegs]

Hi Hatty,

I am glad you finally got the problem with your eye resolved :woohoo:

Take care,
Lazylegs

 

[teachmom67]

Glad it was something temporary and fixable!

 

[Jirel]

So glad you got a second opinion and didn't just continue with the antibiotic! Guess it shows how valuable second opions can be.