eye inflammation

44-y.o. WF.  On two different occasions ('98 and '99) had pain, redness, tearing, eyelids closed automatically--felt like acid in my eyes.  1st time was the worst-lasted about 3 weeks/both eyes.  2nd time not as bad/not sure if both eyes.  No insurance at time.  Since then I've been dxd with R cataract, R choroidal nevus, lattice degeneration/floaters (mostly R eye).  ALSO, been sick 13+ yrs.  Just got dxd with autonomic neuropathy at Mayo, but still have no definitive dx (severe gastroparesis, hypohidrosis left side of body).  ANA 1:160 and intermittent mildly positive calciums.  Many other Sx's--left-sided Horner's w/ anhidrosis ('90-'92); '94 post-viral chest pain w/ 6 months of low-grade fevers (now chronic chest discomfort and weakness, mechanical effort to breathe, muscle spasms, tender/painful rib, palpitations--mainly on left), ill feeling/faint, itchy bumps on face, post-viral mild diffuse hair loss, R mouth droop, dysphagia, blurred vision R eye that lasted 6 months, fatigue, intermittent tingling and heaviness L leg/arm w/ past incident of L leg weakness and slurred speech, heat intolerance, occasional low-grade fevers, etc.  Just saw new PCP--he mentioned sarcoidosis and I will be following up with him.  I've been reading on sarcoid and anterior uveitis--does it sound like what I experienced might have been uveitis?  Sorry so complicated, but I do appreciate your response.

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

The symptoms of a sarcoid uveitis would be redness, pain, blurred vision, sensitivity to light. While a sarcoid uveitis can heal without treatment is usually doesn't or if it does it leaves tell-tale signs in the eye (scarring = synechae, ghost Keratic percipitates (KPs), pigment on the surface of the lens (Vossius Ring).  If you had an examination of your eyes at Mayo Clinic Dept. of Ophthalmology and they didn't find signs of sarcoid uveitis I doubt if the episode's were sarcoid.

If your problem stumped Mayo's you can believe it's really, really, hard to diagnosis. They are excellent in all departments.

Do see an ophthalmologist yearly and if the problem comes back.

There are some blood tests for sarcoid esp ACE levels (angiotensin converting enzyme)

Good luck

JCH MD Eye Physician-Surgeon

[Annie62]

Thank you for your response.  I did not see an ophthalmologist at Mayo (Jacksonville).  I only saw neurology and was worked up for MS and dysautonomia, but I have seen an ophthalmologist a few times locally.  It sounds like past eye inflamm. episodes probably weren't uveitis as I thought, but I think my new PCP's mention of sarcoidosis is a definite possibility from all the reading I have been doing on it, and hopefully he intends to work me up for it.  Thanks again for your response.