Film on eye related to floaters?

[Kiffie]

Hi, I appreciate any advice you can offer. I'm a 45-year-old woman, near-sighted, and have worn glasses for 36 years, bifocals for the last 19 years. My right eye has been giving me some problems. It's always been sensitive, watering constantly in the cold, the heat, and at even a slight breeze. Both eyes have always had non-allergy-related itching, but the right one has been getting worse. It feels like there is something under the lid, but I could never find anything, and simply put up with the pain that keeps me awake nights. I had talked to my eye doctor about this before, and the fact that my floaters seem to be reproducing at a rabbit's rate, with the new generations progressively larger and showing up more often. (One covers about half my field of vision, but fortunately, it's clear.) This week when my right eye was itching again I looked once more in the mirror, and I could see the film over my eye that I have felt for years! It is clear, but obscures my vision a bit. It feels like I have tears in that corner of my eye - this time the outside corner - but thicker, and of course it is not going to fall out by itself. It used to go away if I blinked enough, but now, it only goes away after a few hours if I don't rub my eye. I'd like to learn if these two conditioins are related at all, and how serious they might be. As I said, I did talk to the doctor, but he dismissed my questions without elaborating. I have a new eye doctor now, but I don't see him until March.

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

Best o luck  JCH MD

[Kiffie]

Thank you so much!

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

I don't think that the two problems are related. Use the search feature and achieves and read about flashes, floaters and posterior vitreous detachments.  One of the most common problems to make you eye sensitive and water would be poor quality tear film (Tears dysfunction syndrome). This latter is often called "Dry eye syndrome" even though one type the eye waters all the time.

Be sure your new "doctor" is an ophthalmologist Eye MD.  Ask that tests be done to see if you do in fact have dry eyes. These should be done before the technicians check the pressure and dilate the eye.

JCH MD