Eye pain and sensitivity to light - might it be an infection?

For the last week and a half, I have been having a burning sensation in my right eye, and for the past few days have also had a lot of sensitivity to light, as well as some mildly blurred vision.  I've also had some pain and tenderness in my face under my right eye, a mild feeling of pressure near the top of my nose, and some mild pain in my ears.  Most of the time since the pain started I have had no fever, though I did have a very mild fever (99.2 degrees) on Sunday.  I scheduled an appointment with my opthamologist (this Friday), but since I thought it might be an infection or something like that, I also went to see my regular doctor yesterday.  I've also been having lesser eye pain, a feeling of dry eyes, and some twitching in one of my eyelids for several months, and I don't think that I really got through to my doctor that the symptoms I am feeling now are worse than what I have had for the last few months.  Anyway, the doctor said that he thought I might have blepharitis, but again, I think he was talking about the chronic condition I have had and not what is causing the increased pain and sensitivity to light right now (I only got to talk to him for 5 minutes, so I didn't really have time to discuss my symptoms with him in detail).  What I was wondering is if maybe I have an infection in or near my eye and should have gotten some antibiotics.  If not, should I be doing anything while I wait to see the opthamologist on Friday (so far, I've just been taking Tylenol or Motrin when I feel bad)?

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

IF you symptoms are worse on Wednesday then I would call the ophthalmologist's office explain the situation and try and get it sooner. Blepharitis should not cause all those symptoms.

JCH MD

[Calathan]

I was able to see a different ophthalmologist in the same practice as the one I normally see yesterday.  He said I had keratitis, but just due to dry eyes and not due to an infection.  I think the soreness in my face might be unrelated or at least not the main cause of my eye pain.  Anyway, the ophthalmologist said that I should use warm, moist compresses on my eyes, use moisturizing eye drops every 2-3 hours, and should use an eye ointment or cream at night.  He gave me samples of an eye drop to use.

In the past, I have tried using moisturizing eye drops given to me by eye doctors, and they have always made my eyes red or made blood vessels show up in my eyes.  The same thing seems to be happening with these eye drops, as my eyes have been a good bit redder today after I use the drops.  My eyes also have generally felt worse after putting the drops in instead of feeling better (though my sensitivity to light has improved a good bit since Tuesday).  I was wondering if I should perhaps try a different type of eye drops.  These drops are a milky-white color (they say they are supposed to be that way on the box), list mineral oil and light mineral oil as the active ingredients, and also have several other inactive ingredients including a preservative.  Might I be better off getting eye drops that are more like normal tears?

I was also wondering if there is any way to determine why I have keratitis now.  I do basically stare at a computer screen all day, but I've done that for years, and my eyes have only been irritated for the last few months.  Can you just develop keratitis spontaneously?

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

You need to call the ophthalmologist that saw you and discuss your reaction to the medicine with his/her staff. There are many causes of keratitis cannot be more specific.

JCH MD