Eye pain

[Crysteena]

Hello, Im a 24 year old female with perfect vision and about a month ago I was hit right in the crease of my the eye with the corner of a baseball mit, the feeling that I had once I was hit was a sharp pain right in the crease of my eye, immediate swelling and light bruising around the lid and lots of tearing and my eye was closing so I had very little muscle control, since then during the night I wake up with the same pain, this is random but its happened about 5 times already so maybe once a week, but it is only at night and only when im sleeping, the pain is so bad I actually wake up from it, it affects my sinuses and my eye becomes ultra sensitive to light, it almost feels as though I have a piece of glass scratching me or something stuck on the inside of the lid,it tears a lot also and Ive tried drops, and flushing my eye with no sucess, when this happens if I keep my eye open the pain isnt as bad but my eye almost forces itself to close and the pain is worse when its closed, there is no longer any brusing and still very little swelling but it last 15 minutes at a time then just stops and I am fine until it happens again,A few years back I scratched my cornea in the opposite eye and this pain is worse!!! I have no insurance and do not have much money so Im putting off going to the doctor because I know its going to cost me a lot so please help me, thank you so much!

[Sharon0918]

A related discussion, Eye Bandage was started.

[JohnHaganMD]

While troubling and often painful a recurrent corneal erosion is not serious and rarely ever causes any reduced vision.  Bandage contact lens are used only if other methods don't help and some Ophthalmologist never use them because of the chance of infection-so no don't start out with a bandage contact lens. Basic treatment is ointment at bedtime, drops on awakening and throughout the day.

JCH MD

[Crysteena]

Thank you so much, I had read about this and it sounded like it could have been this, just wanted another opinion, I will make an appointment ASAP, once more question, can this cause any future problems once healed and do you recommend a contact bandage while I sleep?

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

Hello Drysteena,  I'm sure you understand that I cannot make a diagnosis and this forum is not a substitute for a medical eye examination by an ophthalmologist (EyeMD).

With those qualificationsin mind,  in many cases the problem you are describing is due to recurrent corneal erosion syndrome. In this problem the clear part of the eye (cornea) is scratched and heals poorly. An extremely small blister forms on the surface of the cornea and during sleep or upon awakening tears off exposing the highly sensitive cornea nerves.  Typically this awakes a person from sleep or they awake with sharp pain, waterning and sensitivity to light than can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to as long as several days of pain.

Treatment consists of using an ophthalmic ointment at bedtime in the symptomatic eye such as Refresh-PM, or Duratears. Do not sleep with air moving across your face (fan or air conditioning). Do not run the air conditioner in your car blowing in your face. When you wake up do not rub your eyes, if the eye with the ointment won't open leave your eye shut, splash warm water in it to get it open then put an artifical tear such as Systain, Opteve or hypotears in the eye. Repeat putting tears in your eye 2-4 times per day.

You should do this each and every night (the healing occurs when the eye doesn't hurt and it can take 3-5 months to heal) for at least 4-6 months of pain free sleep. After at least 3 months of pain free sleep if you dislike the ointment you can switch to a gel such as Genteal Gel at bedtime instead. If the problem still occurs you will have to see an ophthalmologist. After examining your eye and determining that recurrent corneal erosion is the problem, they may try Muro 128 hypertonic ointment and drops, bandage contact lens, stromal micropuncture and in the most severe and recalcitrant cases eximer laser resurfacing or topical steroids and oral tetracycline (a new treatment).

JCH MD