EYE IRRITATION

I am so frustrated.  About a year ago I had an episode with wet AMD at 30. My shot has done well and the doctors says things are looking good. However, I am a teacher and their is something about school irritating my eye.  It started last fall when school began, about every 4 weeks I would have some type of eye infection and really severe dry eye.  I felt like I worried my eye doctor to death. We would do drops it would be better and then reoccur.

I was great this summer. No problems at all. Now we have been back at school 3 weeks and my eyes are at it again. I have a white discharge sometimes and they are dry as can be and burn.  Should I go back to the eye doc and start the drop process again.   With my history of AMD I am afraid not to go.   I  know however chances are its not related.  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Your symptoms do not suggest wet ARMD. Get an opinion from a eye MD that specializes in cornea/external disease.

Use the search feature on this page and read about the treatment of dry eyes.

JCH MD

[Chasity2000]

Will this dryness and irritation tend to make my vision a little foggy/blurry?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

yes, it can

JCH MD

[Chasity2000]

I spoke with one of the doctors here the other day about a dry eye problem. I went to my eye doc and vision was 20/25 in both eyes with glasses of course and that is even with my wet, now dry AMD.  GOOD I thought

He said my eyes were very dry and it looked like the redness, itchy, fuzzy vision, and  dryness was from allergies.  He gave me 2 different drops and said we could try these to see if it helped or if the symptoms returned after I stopped using them, there were Pataday and Xibrom.   Like most I didn't ask the questions I should have.  

How do you feel about using these for this problem?  Will they effect my AMD?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Neither is specific for dry eyes. pataday is a once/day allergy eye drop and Xibrom is a non-steroidal antiinflammatory.

If your problems are truely dry eyes you would do better with frequent artifical tears, a lubricating gel at bedtime, oral fish oil (2-4 enteric coated/day) and if moderate or severe then a 6 month trial of Restasis.

JCH MD

[Chasity2000]

I have tried all those you mentioned and once school started back and I started teaching, all my symptoms reappeared, fuzzy vision, irritated,dry eyes.  I am very frustrated, the macual problem only increases my concern over vision.

If it is allergies will these help?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Perhaps

JCH MD