Eyes and opiates

[LndnsDiddy08]

I was diagnosed with rhuematoid arthritis at the age of 14. Although I have been in remission for about 10 years now I still have pain from the damage that was done to my joints. My doctor prescribes me a very light opiate medicine called Ultram. I get really bad kind of gunky, jelly like deposits in my eye that are really irritating. Does anyone know why I would get this? I have family members that partake in opiate treatment for back and leg problems and none of them have experienced this. And it's not just a side effect from the ultram because I've taken other opium based pain medications in the past that do the same thing.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) often affects the eye and as many as 75% of people with RA have dry eyes (symptoms dry, red, sting, burn, water, mucous)  with perhaps 3% having iritis/uveitis and 1% or less scleritis.

So the most common cause would be dry eye due to RA. See an Eye MD opthalmologist for a proper diagnosis and treatment.

JCH III MD