problems with light

[alcea]

I was in spain a month ago, the air was dry  no rain for many months there  dust everywhere and AC inside. Also and the sun very strong and permanent. I had problems with the light of the sun too strong for my eyes. I went to see an eye doctor who  after not finding damage after examination  told me I lacked pigments in the the retina due to the color of my skin.. too light.... and advised me to wear  class 3 or 4 glasses. Then a regular doctor as things were not improving told me to stay in the dark for a week...he was thinking about snow blindness. After that for 2 weeks I had problems with strong lights inside or outside. Things not improving  I stopped at an emergency center and had my eyes tested  a second time. Nothing appeared wrong. I was told it was probably an irritation of the cornea and was started on celluvisc. This was 2 weeks ago.
It is a little better but I still have photophobia.
I don't seem to find the right light to see  except a few hours each day, before sunrise and in fact when the sun is above 10 to 4 PM.... my eyes  get tired easily. I  try to stay away from the PC.. except now.., away the TV, I try not to read and  wear glasses  when inside stores those lights hurt me easely.... and I put celluvisc 3 times a day. I am now in Florida where the sun is very strong too.
I only feel really better when my eyes cry, but I guess they remain dry even with celluvisc. Will this condition improve or will I remain with dry eyes problems from now on???
I added carrots for vitamin A to my diet, and flax oil. Lutein and billberry too.

[alcea]

Thanks for your last post. Too bad it did not give you a clue as I would really  like to know what happened in the first place and was is still going on. I didn't post an answer yesterday as I wanted to see how things would evolve. Today I can stand Light inside the house much better even bright but not sunny light. No more glasses inside. But outside in a day like today with strong nonstop sun, it is very painful. Driving for exemple was a nightmare even with glasses on. I was blinking continuously ... Also the effect of blurred vison after application of Celluvisc  seems to last longer . Is there a product that is not as thick as this one and without preservatives I could switch to????. concerning the first ophtalmo.. I have a question: Is it possible to just see the pigments in the retina on an eyes exam??? I understand those pigments vary in quantity  as the sun let's say uses them and after they need to be rebuilt continuously????  some people may have less in stock than others without this indicating a disease???
I never thought before eyes functions were so complicated !!!

[Ag-i-doc]

no.  that offers no more useful information.  i still dont have any idea whats wrong with you, if anything.  but i still do not think its snow blindness or corneal irritation.

[alcea]

thank you for answering so fast.

at the time I was diagnosed with snow blindness my acuity was really excellent.

This is a remark I even made to myself so much I was surprised....
my vision is still perfect  I don't know how it rates in America but it is 10/10 according to the european standard.. which means I can read the smallest letters from far
but I need glasses, 1.5 for up close.
The doctor I went to see in the emergency room was a ophtalmologist as they had a special unit for ophtalmology in that hospital. and he had the standard equipment an ophtalmologist usually has. He also dilated the eye and also checked the optical nerve . My eye tension was 14  in one eye and 17 in the other. I had a visual field done last july  as routine I would say as I am considered borderline   since year 1995 or so...
Does it give you more clue???? you start getting me worried!!!!
the only regular doctor was the one who told me to stay in the dark for 6 days.. the two others were ophtalmologists and checked everything but the amount of tears I may have
should I check this?? what else?? Things are improving I think, but still not back to normal....
thanks!!!!

[Forum-OD-MP]

wow.  snow blindness would be a "zebra" diagnosis in this case if i ever heard one.  i seriously, seriously doubt you have "snow blindness".  people with snow blindness have TERRIBLE acuity.  do you SEE POORLY?  if not, you dont have snow blindness.  i disagree with that diagnosis.

i also disagree with the "corneal irritation" theory.  you went to an eye doc who did not find ANYTHING wrong with you, but then the ER, who has pretty much no specialized equipment for diagnosing eye conditions, and knows very little about eyes/eye conditions to boot...told you ythat our corneas were irritated?  no.  i dont think so.

i mean i dont know what to tell you.  i dont know whats wrong with you, but i can tell you what its NOT.  its not "snow blindness" and its not "irritated cornea".

i dont know.  you need a second opinion.  go to an EYE DOCTOR in florida.  do not waste your time in the ER or primary care physicians  office ("regular doctor").