The Lupus Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

The eyes and Autoimmune Disease

2K views 27 replies 24 participants last post by  greenhaggis 
#1 ·
#4 ·
thanks

:thanx: thanks clare for the actical ... i actually printed it so i can sit and read it... since my eyes are the issue it may be alittle easier for me to read that way ... otherwise i'm hunched in front of the computer with my head tilted back (bi focals) to read it on the computer ...:ashamed:

anyway thank you again
 
#6 ·
eyes and autoimmune

In case, anyone goes through this in the future. In the past 2mos, in my left eye: my retina detached twice - we're hoping that this 2snf time worked it has been three weeks now, the surgeon did have to put in a longer gas bubble.
THE PROBLEM: during the surgery the cut through the cornea would not heal. (LUPUS nephritis) Unfortunately it turned into an Ulcer and the Iris started pushing out, so just the other day I had an ER surgery to place a cornea graph over my eye. What was suppose to have healed in two day had not healed in two weeks.
 
#7 ·
thanks for the link

yesterday my left eye felt as though i had been punched, when i looked in the mirror it was not a pretty sight, so looked on the forum, good job too, it looked like episceritis/sceritis so of to docs, yes she has made appointment for me at hospital as she thinks it is also. i asked if this could be connected to my undiagnosed pain condition, she said it could be possible, then i asked could this perhaps help get a possible diagnosis, again she sain it could be possible. so once again big thankyou because i was all for giving up with docs and alike, at first just thought sore tired eyes that would go eventually.:wink2:
 
#8 ·
Thank you Clare.

I found this article difficult, because of the medical terminology, but the pictures useful. I will save it for later in case I need to refer back to it.

I am having visual problems.

Can anybody tell me if having things floating acorss the eyes is linked to Antiphospholipid syndrome or lupus? My reading vision is deteriorating, so I now have specs, but my optician has not mentioned anything unusual. It is about 6 months since I last went.

I'm getting generally blurred vision and what is like a grey smoke or net floating across my eyes, but I'm only aware of it it certain light. I've checked my eyes for mucous because I'm forever having to clear this away, but the 'smoke' is still there. My eyes are not infected - I've had stringy mucous problems since a child - just a nuisance.

All suggestions gratefully received.

Alwin
 
#9 ·
red eye

Hi all,
I am experiencing blood shot looking eye. Just my right eye. The corner towards the right is bloodshot looking. It feels mucousey and i blink from it. I have not called my eye doctor yet. I have experienced this on and off for many of times. I was prescribed TOBRADEX OPHTH SUSP 5ML in the past with 2 refills. I am dx with discoid lupus,and sjogren's. I see the eye doc 2x per year. Shame on me for now but i am using leftover tobradex that is from 2005 till i get to the eye doc. I have had numerous eye infections in the past but i was also wearing contac lens. I can't wear them any more since i have developed the sjogren's disease. And i was using renu that is taken off the market. I have a wedding this weekend and hope my eye will look better, AND YES I PLAN ON MAKING AN APPT. WITH THE EYE DOC.for next week. I did check out that web site on the eyes and it has confused me on which problem i am having. I do feel like something is in my eye and it is a bit watery. I will let all know what the results of this is once i see the doc.
Florie
 
#10 ·
Hi Florie

My advice would be to stop using old medication if it is out of date.
sounds to me like you may have a infection with you saying there is mucous infection would also make your eyes become angry (ie bloodshot)
Try flushing your eye out with some saline solution (every couple of hours) if that doesnt clear it up like you say see your Dr because you might need some steroid drops to clear it up.

Im not saying im right as im no Dr but 10 yrs of living with Kertaconus Syndrome and servere eye allergies/infections and dry eyes i just thought i might be able to give you a few tips.

Hope you get it sorted soon
If you ever need to chat im here

with luv
Emma (hence Mad-Eyes) xxx
 
#11 ·
Episcleritis - I've got that!

Thanks for the article Clare.

My eyes went so red and bloodshot was referred to emergency opthamologist. I was prescribed predsol steroid drops which cleared them up nicely over 3 weeks and after decreasing them and stopping I was discharged. However, 4 days later back to square one my red eyes returned with a vengence. 8) I wondered whether to just ride it our this time but looked the condition up here and know now that I have to return to the clinic again - fed up of doctors and hospitals and testing - but where would we be without them!!!!

Wishing all reading a good day!:)
Suex
 
#13 ·
2 weeks ago I had a corneal abrasion which ended up with me being sent to the emergency eye clinic at my local hospital. Today I saw the opthamologist again and although the abrasion has healed I now have keratitis of unknown origin. Two consultants looked at me today and decided to refer me to a collegue of theirs that specialises in the cornea. I've got some steroid drops to make my eye more comfortable and I'm so hoping they'll help the pain and photophobia.

I have to wait for a letter with the cornea guys appointment date.
 
#14 ·
Hi Clare,

Thanks for the article. It is timely because lately, I have felt as though my eyes are bulging out of the sockets..It is uncomfortable and I have to put my hands over my eyes to feel relief. It is a pressure feeling..no pain though..

Thanks again,
Sage Hen
 
#15 ·
Need Help

Hi All
I hope someone can help me I am having trouble with my vision at present I had a bad reaction to Plaq in Dec and am wondering if this could affect my eyes I seen a dermotologist and she confirmed that the reaction was coming through my nails so i think it could be doing the same with my eyes I have not been seen by the rheumy doc since Jan and i won't be seeing him again until maybe july or august Even though i have tried to get an appointment sooner I am also having pains in my left lung of and on since feb I went to gp in feb and he was supposed to send me for an x-ray am stillwaiting I am so confused as i can't get any one to answer my questions i am not on any medicines at all I was diagnosed in Nov last year and since then i feel i have been left to my own devices I am so depressed about everything but the gp said if i go for a walk then that should take the depression away I have never felt so alone and don't know where to turn The rheumy only comes here every second week and they are behind with patients as it is Please any one got any ideas for me
 
#16 ·
enlarged blind spot in left eye

just looking at eye problems and thought i would ask if anyone has ever heard of an enlarged blind spot. i was on plaquenil and went for my eye exam and was told that the blind spot in my eye had enlarged. i ask my eye doctor what that meant and he just said it could be from systemic disease. he said we would have to keep an eye on it. he didnt say it was from the plaquenil but i stopped taking it anyway. i told my rheumy about it and he called it an optic nerve lesion. he repeated my brain mri since i hadn't had one in over a year but it didnt show anything on my optic nerve. he said that didnt mean it wasnt there because mri's can miss this. it worries me since i have several small white matter lesions and lots of neuro symptoms.
 
#17 ·
Hey Mary

I was reading through your previous posts and I noticed you said your rheumy told you the only way to find out if lupus is causing your neurological symptoms is by doing a brain biopsy....Is your rheumy a lupus expert??? There's lots of ways to test for cns involvement in lupus, MRIs, nerve conduction tests, spinal taps etc etc depending on what the symptoms are.

I'd never heard of an enlarged blind spot before...From what I could find it could be related to inflammation of the optic nerve (the blind spot in your eye is actually the optic nerve beginning), but that normally has other symptoms such as vision loss, pain behind the eye, pain with eye movement etc. That is probably what your rheumy was talking about when he mentioned an optic nerve lesion... Have you had such symptoms recently?

Apparently there is something called idiopathic blind spot enlargement, in which the blind spot is enlarged for no detectable reason without causing any problems but that is quite rare.

It might be an idea, if you have any other problems with that eye (such as vision loss) to do a test called visual evoked potentials. It's a test that can be used to detect optic nerve problems (even very subtle ones).

I hope you're doing ok :blush:

Zoi
 
#18 ·
hello zoi, i'm afraid i havn't been very clear in my post's. i have had sereral brain mri's that show non-specific white matter lesions. my rheumy said that they are most likely from sle but he cant be 100% sure. he said cns involvement is very hard to dx. i had eye exams ever 6mon. while on the plaquenil and the evoked potential is how the enlarged blind spot was discovered. i took plaquenil for 2 yrs. and i went into remision for almost a yr. guess i had convinced myself that i didnt have sle until i started with more fatigue and muscle twitching this spring. i was referred to a neuro and had nerver conduction and emg and spine mri. i do have nerve damage that neuro thought was coming from a spinal cord compression in my neck but the mri only showed a small indention and not enough to account for the damage and hyperreflexia. my rheumy mentioned putting me on cellcept but he wanted to wait for mri results first. i have been waiting for him to call but it has been almost 2 weeks since the results came back and still no word, so i'm going to call first thing tomorrow. i would say that i am to blame for not getting better treatment because i am so scared of med's, especially the ones for lupus...they seem as scary as the disease! however these new symptoms have got me so scared that i am finally ready to except that i do have lupus and start doing something about it. thanks for posting. it helps to be able to talk about all this. hope you are doing well...take care mary.
 
#20 ·
Hey Zoi, Just To Let You Know That I Started On Pred. 10mg And Plaguenil 400mg. It Hasnt Been Long Enough To See Any Change Other Than Hyped Up From The Prednisone.....that Is A Good Thing Though Since I Have More Energy! Hopefully Soon My Symptoms Will Just Be A Memory. Thanks For Caring....hope All Is Well With You.
 
#23 ·
Punctual occlusion

Has anyone had this procedure? I've been telling my rheumie for months that my eyes were bad and it was only after a 3 week ( now 9 week) conjunctivitis that i got sent to an eye specialist who said i need to have it done or i could go blind!
 
#24 ·
Hi Sheira,

Which procedure are you asking about? You might get a better response if you posted a seperate thread in say tests and procedures rather than on this post :)

love
Lily
 
#26 ·
Hi thank you for this information. I must have missed it before. My referral to a rheumy after 3-4 years of multisymptoms was prompted by very extreme uveitis with my iris attached to the pupil in my eye. I left it to get so bad (it was my 3rd episode) because the Gabapentin I take masks my pain. So beware if you are on pain killers because I really wasn't aware of how serious it was. My experience was very scary when they told me it was severe I suppose I was put off by the attitudes I have encountered when various health professionals made me feel it was all in my mind. Anyway I now have only 2 weeks to go for my appointment with a rheumy so please everyone keep your fingers crossed that they will help me as my pain has been excruciating whilst on holiday last week. This info is so reassuring to me as I always need to be convinced that I am not imagining my symptoms. I really need to be assertive but its so hard wen I get into the consulting room.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top