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Recurring Corneal Inflammation??? help!
Any help would be appreciated.
It started 2 weeks ago. I woke up one morning with a red eye, foreign body sensation and excessive tearing. As the day progressed, I noticed sensitivity to light. I called my Optometrist and they got me in that afternoon. I was diagnosed with a corneal ulcer. No contacts lenses, Zylet drops 3 times a day. The redness resolved after a few days, and everything seemed great. At my 1 week follow up, my doc cleared me to wear my contacts again. Everything was fine that day.
(Thursday)
The next day, all the symptoms returned. I made an appointment with an ophthalmologist for a second opinion. He said I had a corneal abrasion (what was once the ulcer?). He prescribed me Vigamox 4 times a day. That evening the pain worsened - eye socket/headache type pain around my eye, excessive tearing, redness, swelling.
(Friday)
When I woke up the next morning, I had cloudy vision and couldn't see out of my left eye. I called their office back and the tech told me I was most likely allergic to the Vigamox and to discontinue and switch back to the Zylet. However, my vision didn't improve.
(Saturday)
I decided to call my original doc/Optometrist after hours emergency number. I told him everything and said he was concerned about inflammation since I could not see. He saw me that afternoon and said I had severe inflammation in my cornea and the abrasion was still present. I was prescribed Durezol and he told me to take a power dose ASAP at the pharmacy and 4 times total that evening alone, and then 4 times a day starting Sunday. He also prescribed Tobramycin 4 times a day. He told me to come back in Sunday so he can make sure the swelling was going down. If not, he would send me to the university ER to see a Corneal Specialist.
(Sunday)
The inflammation improved, so he agreed to monitor me everyday until the inflammation stalled or worsened - then he would have to refer me out. Over the next 4 days, the abrasion didn't heal as he thought it should. He tried a bandage contact lense, but that only seemed to irritate my eye.
(Thursday)
The inflammation stalled, so I was referred to a corneal specialist. The bandage contact was removed.
(Friday)
I really feel like the bandage contact did more harm than good. Just having it off a day my eye looked much better. I could tell the inflammation had reduced some more because my vision was the best it had been in awhile. I saw the CS and he did 4 cultures that I have yet to receive the results. He said the inflammation was mainly around the abrasion, so he told me to stop the Durezol and do the Tobramycin drops every hour while I'm awake. My eye seemed to get redder as the day progressed.
(Today)
I woke up at 2 am in pain again. I had what felt like a headache around my left eye, and it was very sore. This morning my vision is now completely cloudy again and I'm guessing the inflammation is back. I can't see anything - exactly where I was a week ago. I started the Durezol again like before to try and combat this inflammation. There is no after hours line for my specialist, they just want you to go to their ER but it's a couple hours away and since the cultures haven't come back, they'll just give me a steroid to get this inflammation down which I already have. The pain has lessened so I know it's at least working.
I will be calling first thing Monday morning to be seen and hopefully find out something from the cultures.
I have a 16 month old. I have been inside for the past 2 weeks and unable to participate in much. I am worried there is some sort of super bug in my eye. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this? I am at my breaking point.
It started 2 weeks ago. I woke up one morning with a red eye, foreign body sensation and excessive tearing. As the day progressed, I noticed sensitivity to light. I called my Optometrist and they got me in that afternoon. I was diagnosed with a corneal ulcer. No contacts lenses, Zylet drops 3 times a day. The redness resolved after a few days, and everything seemed great. At my 1 week follow up, my doc cleared me to wear my contacts again. Everything was fine that day.
(Thursday)
The next day, all the symptoms returned. I made an appointment with an ophthalmologist for a second opinion. He said I had a corneal abrasion (what was once the ulcer?). He prescribed me Vigamox 4 times a day. That evening the pain worsened - eye socket/headache type pain around my eye, excessive tearing, redness, swelling.
(Friday)
When I woke up the next morning, I had cloudy vision and couldn't see out of my left eye. I called their office back and the tech told me I was most likely allergic to the Vigamox and to discontinue and switch back to the Zylet. However, my vision didn't improve.
(Saturday)
I decided to call my original doc/Optometrist after hours emergency number. I told him everything and said he was concerned about inflammation since I could not see. He saw me that afternoon and said I had severe inflammation in my cornea and the abrasion was still present. I was prescribed Durezol and he told me to take a power dose ASAP at the pharmacy and 4 times total that evening alone, and then 4 times a day starting Sunday. He also prescribed Tobramycin 4 times a day. He told me to come back in Sunday so he can make sure the swelling was going down. If not, he would send me to the university ER to see a Corneal Specialist.
(Sunday)
The inflammation improved, so he agreed to monitor me everyday until the inflammation stalled or worsened - then he would have to refer me out. Over the next 4 days, the abrasion didn't heal as he thought it should. He tried a bandage contact lense, but that only seemed to irritate my eye.
(Thursday)
The inflammation stalled, so I was referred to a corneal specialist. The bandage contact was removed.
(Friday)
I really feel like the bandage contact did more harm than good. Just having it off a day my eye looked much better. I could tell the inflammation had reduced some more because my vision was the best it had been in awhile. I saw the CS and he did 4 cultures that I have yet to receive the results. He said the inflammation was mainly around the abrasion, so he told me to stop the Durezol and do the Tobramycin drops every hour while I'm awake. My eye seemed to get redder as the day progressed.
(Today)
I woke up at 2 am in pain again. I had what felt like a headache around my left eye, and it was very sore. This morning my vision is now completely cloudy again and I'm guessing the inflammation is back. I can't see anything - exactly where I was a week ago. I started the Durezol again like before to try and combat this inflammation. There is no after hours line for my specialist, they just want you to go to their ER but it's a couple hours away and since the cultures haven't come back, they'll just give me a steroid to get this inflammation down which I already have. The pain has lessened so I know it's at least working.
I will be calling first thing Monday morning to be seen and hopefully find out something from the cultures.
I have a 16 month old. I have been inside for the past 2 weeks and unable to participate in much. I am worried there is some sort of super bug in my eye. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this? I am at my breaking point.
You should not restart the Durezol without your optom or the cornea specilist okaying it. Your problem is a set up for a bacterial or fungal corneal ulcer. Durezol, a strong steroid, can make bacterial/fungus much worse. The cornea specialist will have a 24 hr/day answering service if he/she is a MD ophthalmologist. I suggest you contact them on an emergent basis and not wait til Monday.
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