Right Eye Problems

Ok so about two weeks ago my right eye got extremely red, to the point that people started to believe I had pink eye. I was fairly certain I didn't, and just ignored it as I do play many video and computer games, so I figured I had just strained it or something. There was no pain or irritation whatsoever, the eye was just red.

About a week ago, the redness was more or less gone, but that night I was awoken by extremely intense discomfort in my right eye. I figured I had gotten something in my eye, went to the bathroom and rinsed it out. It was still pretty uncomfortable after that, but I figured my eye had been scratched or irritated by whatever I had just washed out.

And now, as of today, my eye has felt irritated for every moment of every day since that night last week. There is no redness or swelling, and the irritation is more pronounced when I blink (which of course makes me want to blink more, it's maddening...), or move my eyes while they're closed. Last night I pulled my eyelid down to see if I could see anything, and I noticed this tiny tiny little bump or blemish on the white of my eye, no bigger than the ball in a ballpoint pen, on the bottom half of my eye, beneath the eyelid.

Now I don't look at my eyes very often, but I'm pretty sure this bump/blemish isn't supposed to be there. I'm fairly certain its related to (if not the cause of) my discomfort, but I won't commit to that.

Also I'm a 23-year old with no insurance, living on my own, working at a sandwich shop with 40 bucks in my bank account. I know you guys have to say it, but there's no way in hell I'm going to a doctor unless the eye falls out or I go blind in it.

I got a case of vertigo about 8 months ago, spent 6 hours in the waiting room throwing up, then literally 3 to 5 minutes with the doctor looking in my eyes and asking me questions. Told me I had vertigo and to buy some dramamine. Cost me 800 dollars that I'm still paying off today.

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

Sorry about your situation.  However,  you really need to see an ophthalmologist.  Perhaps there is a residency teaching program in your area.

Dr. O.