Eye Infections

[mom413]

I have been fighting what my doctor has told me are eye infections.  I am 32 and have never had any problems with my eyes at all including infections until now.  I tried two different antibiotics as well as steriod drops.  All of them seemed to make my eyes feel a little better, but did not stop me from waking up with my eyes stuck together.  I finally tried an eye wash after I had finished the eye drops and it cleaned my eyes out and they have not stuck together since.  However the past few days, I am starting with the itching and a little pain as well again.  I do have a lot of allergies(seasonal) and sinus issues and I'm not sure if that could be causing or adding to my problems.  I feel like I always need to blink.  Sometime it does feel like there is something in the eye, but not all the time.   There are red lines under my top eyelid that are pointing straight down that don't seem to want to go away.  If I look at my up close, it does almost look like there is an area on the colored part of the eyes that look kind of filmy, but I am not having vision problems.  Allergy eyedrops dry my eyes out really bad and natural tear drops seem to feel really sticky.  Do you think that it is still and infection that hasn't cleared up or could this be another problem with my eyes.  I had them do an eye exam the last time I was there with the infection and my eyes themselves seemed to be fine from what he said.  It seems strange that I have never had an eye infection or used eyedrops of any kind until now, and the drops are not clearing them up.  What do you think?

[hsum4]

Dear mom413:

I also had an eye infection after my cataract surgery.  I was told it was caused by dry eye.  Evidently when the oily lipid layer of the eye is comprimised in any way the eye can't fight off infections as well.  I don't want an eye infection or blepharitis back.  My eye doctor has me on Restasis that is for people with dry eye.  Please find out if that is what you have as I was told that this was what was causing my infection.  My eye stuck together too along with redness and they hurt as well.

hsum4

[Sandy Feldman, MD, MS]

Dear mom413,

It does sound as if you have a problem with your eyes and need to see an eyeMD to have them evaluated and treated.  The eyelids sticking in the morning does sound like an infection of the eyelid margin, known as blepharitis.  This is best treated with warm compresses and eyelid hygiene so I would recommend beginning that until your exam.

Dr. Feldman

Sandy T. Feldman, M.D., M.S.
ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center
San Diego, California

[Michael J Kutryb, MD]

Please see an ophthalmologist.  Often patients are treated with antibiotics, unnecessarily for things like dry eye syndrome or allergic conjuctivitis.  You could easily have something like dry eye keratopathy.  Suggest you see EyeMD Ophthalmologist right away to see what  you actually have and in meantime stop eyewash (it has chemicals and detergents and will wash out your good lubricating tear film worsening your problem) and use TheraTears or Genteal drops every few hours and bedtime .  Good Luck.

MJK MD

[Lodow]

I had the same  problem with waking  up  in the moring  with one eye stuck together-- This went on for yrs until finally  A Dr  checking to do cataract surgery  checked with an instrument  some kind of light that is not normally used in just an ordinary  eye exam. He found that  I have a rare  eye -disorder called  "FUCHS CORNEA DYSTROPHY" I HAD  HAD MY EYES CHECKED  MANY  TIMES AND IT WAS ALWAYS THERE JUST DID NOT SHOW UP  UNTIL HE USED THIS LIGHT. Ask  your Dr to check you for  "Fuchs  Cornea  Dystrophy".  This is a problem  with the cornea of the eye.
Lodow