Sharp eye pain in one eye in the middle of the night

[shaheen]

I am a healthy 42 year old woman who has been experiencing sharp, stabbing eye pain in my right eye in the middle of the night. The pain is always at the top of my eyeball and it sometimes occurs 3 or 4 times in a week-only while sleeping. It is extremely painful and wakes me up with a jolt whenever it occurs.  The pain subsides after about 10 minutes if I keep my eyes open- closing my eye is very painful. By morning my eye is usually a bit sore and feels irritated.

I have been to an optomologist who says he can find absolutely nothing wrong with my eyes.  He suggested I may have migraines.  I feel like there is something wrong with the actually eyeball.  I have tried night time lubricant but that seems to irritate my eyes more.  I also tried  Similsan for dry eyes but it does not help.  I am thinking of seeing another doctor for a 2nd opinion and am wondering if perhaps I need to ask him/her to look for something more specific- like RCE?

Thanks in advance for your time and advice.

[Forum-OD-MP]

thats what i immediately thought when i read your post was RCE or epithelial basement membrane dystrophy.  does not sound like migraine to me.

a second opinion is almost never a bad idea.  RCE is not easy to diagnose...would have to see your eye pretty much within say 8 hrs of the pain.

[aimee37]

Thanks so much for your help.  Truly appreciated.