My optometrist appt

I notice a few posts on here about about itchy red eyes. I have had to this problem forever it seems and alway chalked it up to allergies. I had blurred vision after my car accident in 06 which led to possible MS dx. then migraine disorder. Then it went away and came back a few months since this srthritis attach. Somedays my eyes feel fine, but I look the mirror and I find my eyes really red. So I saw the Rheum about my blur spots and itchy red eyes. She said it is very normal to get this when you have RA. She sent me to the optomologist last week because I am on Plaquenil and it could hurt my vision. Turns out I have 20/20 vision and then the optomologist asked me about my RA symptoms. The typical morning stiff joints, pain/burning in my joints, swelling sometimes, chronic fatigue, the eye thing. He said that it was very typical and then proceeded to ask me, "RA must run in your family?" I'm like no, I knew everyone up to my great-grandparents and no RA. He said that was very strange. Just thought this was interesting. I am on precription eye drops too now. My eyes are a little better, but still red.

[wonko]

That is interesting.  I also have eye problems, including redness, mild double vision, and eye pain.  I did have all of this checked by an opthamologist who was puzzled as to the origin.

I have developed a lot of RA symptoms  such as you describe: morning stiffness, pain/burning in joints, etc.  I did see a rheum last fall who thought I was coming down with RA or lupus, but my blood test came back negative.  I have a somewhat high SED rate and c-reactive protein, but negative ANA and negative rheumatoid factor.  

I didn't have these symptoms before being placed on steroids, which makes me think that my infections are to blame.

My LLMD also thinks I exhibit a lot of RA symptoms, but is hoping they clear up with treatment.  I feel as long as I am still dealing with Lyme and co-infections, it's not possible to really tell what, if any, other conditions I may have.  

Lyme can mimic so many things, and it is of course also possible to have both Lyme and another condition.  This makes it very confusing as a patient.

Thanks for the info.

[mrs_k75]

That's what I am concerned about. Given I had bullseye rash it seems like it is lymes, but I seem have classic symptoms of RA. The optomologist really has me wondering now because he said RA is usually inherited. Lyme awareness is so bad here in CA that I only thought of it recently in the month that maybe this is what it could be. I was told by so many doctors that only people on the east coast get it.

[Dont_tick_me_off]

I suffer from many eye problems yet i know i have 20/20 vision. I am making an opt. appointment to have them looked at even though i know all of my problems are related to my lyme infection. I have the following symptoms
- Visual Snow
- Blood Shot Eyes
- Extreme amounts of Vitreous Floaters
- Peripheral Waves
- Sudden spots in my vision field
- Halos around objects
- Photophobia

[patsy10]

When my neighbor had lyme they misdiagnosed her with RA initially.  Fortunately her primary ordered lyme testing.  Both ELISA and WB were CDC positive.