Persistent eye pain for more than 2 months

[taurus1203]

I had a RD surgery on left eye for more than almost 7 months. I experience extreme light sensitivity. Starting 2 months ago, I started feeling discomfort or even pain every day. The eye pain also triggered headache and tylenol doesn't help much for me.


Dr  Oyakawa :
You did answer one of my posts that 'the difference in vision between my 2 eyes from 20/40 and 20/15 can cause eye discomfort, a pressure sensation or even pain.'

I met my surgeon and a cataract specialist recently. They gave me similar answers. The cataract specialist told me my cataract is not serious at all and this should not be the major cause of the bad vision. My pain is mainly due to the weakness of the eye muscle . They told me that this is something I need to live with. My surgeon advise me that I may feel better if I am try to relax myself.

I also did some simple eye exam myself to test how my vision of left eye. I found that whenever I closed my right eye to let the left eye to look as much as it can, the left eye will feel fatigue and pain. Basically my feeling is  discomfort if I don't need to look at something with focus. Once I need to focus, the discomfort will easily increase to pain in 10 minutes.

Can you give me some advice ?  This discomfort and pain affects me every single minute. I really cannot imagine how can I Iive with this persistent discomfort or pain.  I know someone have even bigger vision difference but still don't experience my problem.

Thanks

Taurus

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

Yes, patch longer.  However,  most patients can fuse up to 2.00 diopters of difference.  You are right there.  Some patients can not.


See if contact lens with -4.00 or -3.75 in the left and -2.00 contact lens in the right eye helps your discomfort.   RAM or PAM measure the retinal visual acuity potential. You are currently 20/40 and if these test show 20/25 for example, removing the cataract and if there are no corneal problems, you would get close to 20/25.

Dr. O.

[taurus1203]

I tried patch my left eye a  few hours for a few days and it didn't help. Do you mean to patch it for longer time.
My left eye is -4.00 and my right eye is -2.00 and  20/15 with glasses.
What is PAM or RAM test ?

Taurus

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

See if patching your left eye will help.  Also,  what is the refraction in each eye?  Is your good eye 20/15 without glasses?  And your refraction in the left eye?  Also,  get a PAM or RAM test to see if the retina will see better than 20/40.  If it gets to 20/25 or better consider removal of the cataract.

Dr. O.