anyone have problems with persistent red eyes?

[Tink2002]

So... this has been the summer of eye issues for me, and I'm hoping someone out there and these boards may have had a similar experience and have some advice.

Some of you may recal my posts earlier in the summer about my constant being sick and conjunctivitis... in the middle of May I woke up with what I assumed was conjunctivitis - I went on antibiotic drops for a week but wasn't convinced it was cleared up, so I was put on a different antibiotic for an additional week. Everything seemed fine after that - for about ten days. I then started waking up with a light yellowish-beige colored discharge in my right eye a week before our disney trip in june, and the eye looked a LITTLE bloodshot. I thought it might be allergies... but it continued and two days before our trip the other eye began showing symptoms.

I went to the doctor for conjunctivitis AGAIN and was given erythromicin ointment along with more drops, and that was when everything REALLY hit the fan.. my eyes got VERY red after I began using the ointment, and although it somewhat subsided when I stopped, they were still red with the discharge there in the mornings.

Upon getting back from vacation, I went to my eye doctor and was told I had not had conjunctivitis at all, I had allergies, and I was put on Alrex (a steroid drop) for five days and Pataday drops for allegies. All seemed well again - until I stopped the steroid and my eyes began getting red again. It's sort of spider web-ish looking fine veins in my eyes, most concentrated in the inner corners, and it's worse when I first wake up in the morning. Yet another trip, again to the eye doctor, had me told that perhaps I wasn't on the steroid long enough, and I was put on it for an additonal three weeks, weaning it from four times a day down to two this week.

I realize that's a REALLY long rambling story, but I just wanted to put it our there in case anything similar has happened to someone else, because I'm convinced my eyes aren't better - as I'm weaning off the steroid I can see them getting red again at night before it's time for my second dose, and they are still very red in the morning - in fact, even when I take a nap, they get red all over again. I've been dusting and cleaning and bought allergen covers for my bedding, so I'm at a loss and really wondering if this redness that comes with sleeping and being off the steroid is really allergies - no itching or watering, just this strange emergence of veins and redness.

If by some miracle anyone has actually red through this whole saga and has any words of advice I would very much appreciate them - I have a follow-up with my doctor tomorrow afternoon and WHO KNOWS what they'll try this time and how it will go...

[WDWFanatic]

Sorry I can't help you, when I read the title of your post, I thought maybe you had developed dry eyes. My eyes are red quite often but it is because they are very dry.

Good luck at the doctors. Maybe you could try a different doctor.

Make sure you let us know what it was when you figure it out.

[Jodi]

Hi, I once had chronic conjunctivitis, my eyes were red for about a month. Are you seeing an optometrist or opthamologist? I suggest the opthamologist. Not to alarm you, but a woman I worked with, who happens to be a nurse had what sounds similar to your symptoms, had tests done to rule out arthritic conditions. For that, I suggest you go back to your primary physician. If it were allergy related, it should clear up at some point. Hope this helps.

21 days till Pop :thumbsup:

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I've been battling blephuritis (sp?) for about 4 months now but that has itching and red bumps as well. I've been using the antibiotic ointment too. I originally thought it was conjunctivitis as well and so did my eye doctor. My sis is actually the one who told me what I had because she had it at one time. With this you have to make sure there are no oils on your eye lids. I take my make up off with baby oil because that's the only thing that doesn't irritate them so I really was the eye area well and dry it very rigorously.
If you use make up you may want to get rid of any that might be contaminated, such as mascara. If you have makeup brushes wash them in warm soapy water. And wipe your eye liner etc and spray your eye shadows with rubbing alcohol to sterilize them if you can't bear to throw them away. I know I pay a lot for my make up so would hate to have to throw it all away. I'd keep using the anibiotic cream and make sure you try to get it under the eyelids as well.

[Camping Mom]

Well, bless your heart....I just have allergies real bad and going to Florida to WDW just kills me. I have so much fun but sneeze and itch and rub the whole time. Please check back here and let us know what is the final diagnosis and what is done for it.

[conorsmom2000]

Conor recently had a problem with red eyes, though not to the extent you have had. He suffers from seasonal allergies but it has never affected his eyes before. But, around the beginning of May, we noticed his eyes were really red. They didn't bother him at all but it looked like he had popped a few blood vessels. We used some eye drops, but overall, weren't too concerned about it. They would start to look better, then get worse again. We took him to the Pediatrician who felt it was allergies and prescribed stronger eye drops. At this point, I started getting calls from his school - the nurse, principal and his teacher all mentioned they had noticed how red his eyes were. We made an appt with his eye Dr just to make sure there was nothing else going on and he confirmed it was just allergies. He put him on a steroid eye drop for 5 days, then we had to continue with the prescription eye drops for 5 weeks (basically, until the end of the bad allergy season for him). Now his eyes are fine. Again, though he's been on Zyrtec for his allergies for years, we've never had this happen before.

Best of luck to you - I hope they can figure out what's going on and you can get some relief! Keep us posted!

[Tink2002]

So.... I just got back from my appointment a while ago and the doctor did think that underneath my lids and overall things were looking better than the last time I was there. She is fairly certain right now ,though, that I have developed dry eyes, which is why they continue to look red at times and are the worst in the morning. I've been instructed to wean the steroid down to only once a day for one more week, and begin using a certain kind of artificial tear and night time gel liberally, waiting a week after stopping the steroid before I even think about getting back into my contacts. (At this rate, it's been months since I've regularly worn them, so I guess I can live with two more weeks.) She thinks that the dry eye and allergy responses may be going hand-in-hand since dryer eyes mean allergens aren't being "rinsed" out as much, so I'm going to stay on the once daily allergy drop as well.

Phew. Honestly, I'm not jumping for joy, because after two and a half months I'm not entirely convinced that anything is going to work miracles, but everyone keep their fingers crossed and send some pixie dust that we're on the right track this time!!!