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eye pain

Hi. I've had eve pain for two months now. It is a stabbing, shooting, sharp, dull ache in both eyes. Sometimes I get a headache across my forehead and pain down my nose. I developed floaters and light sensitivity. I've been to Opthamalogy and Neuro Opthamology and both eye exams were normal. I have also been to Neurology twice and am told they don't know why I have this eye pain. Any ideas?
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Avatar universal
Dry eye can certain cause pain, and if you're feeling better, then you're probably on the right track!  Hope it continues to improve.
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Avatar universal
My level came back at 179 and my Neurologist said that anything under 450 is considered deficient. He says the range that the labs use is too low. The range that mine was compared to started at 210. I recently started Restasis for severe dry eyes which my Opthamologist said would not cause this type of pain but I have noticed over the past week, the pain has gotten milder. I'm beginning to think it could be from the dry eye.
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Avatar universal
I'm sorry your Primary isn't much interested in your problem.

How deep is your B12 deficiency? I ask because pain, paresthesias, and other types of disordered nervous function are indeed part of B12 deficiency.  

You might want to read the B12 deficiency article here, to see if anything rings a bell:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12_deficiency
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Avatar universal
I saw my Primary Care Doc last week only for her to tell me she does not know why I have this eye pain and she has no one else to refer me to. She said you are more than welcome to get a second opinion. She was very dismissive. I do have a vitamin B12 deficiency which she says she can only hope that the eye pain will get better once I get my levels back to normal. So frustrated. Should I be referred to pain management?
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Avatar universal
It sounds as though you need a good differential diagnosis.  Here's an illustration of the distribution of sinus pain:

https://classconnection.s3.amazonaws.com/112/flashcards/844112/gif/image1851336693451115.gif

Note that the ethmoid sinuses (shown in blue) actually extend deep into the skull behind the eyes, and people can thus feel eye pain that is not actually eye related.

Sinusitis can be acute or kind of indolent, just lying around making patients feel miserable instead of sick.  

Your stuffy nose is suggestive of nose/sinus problems.  It can also be related to something called cluster headache, which is felt in the eye, but almost always in one eye only.

One sided ear pain--in the absence of infection-- warrants a check of the Cranial Nerves, especially V, VII, AND IX.  But your neurologist probably did that.

There is also something called idiopathic otalgia, which means 'ear pain but we have no idea what's causing it.'

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Avatar universal
Thanks for responding. No, I haven't been checked out for that. I haven't had any sinus issues until this last week when I seem to go to bed with a one sided stuffy nose and wake up with it. I've also had some intermittent ear pain. I did go to ENT last week because of Tinnitus but he said I didn't have an ear infection.
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Avatar universal
Hmm, bilateral pain behind eyes, sometimes across the forehead and down the nose...Have you been checked out for chronic sinusitis?

The noteworthy thing is the bilateral nature of the pain.  That rules out some bad nerve conditions, and probably also migraines (which are extremely rarely bilateral).

You might get some helpful info by taking a pain quiz like this one:

http://www.lifescript.com/quizzes/health/identify_your_headache.aspx

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Avatar universal
It would concern me that he offers no diagnosis and yet refuses an MRI after you developed severe pain.  If it were me, I would seek another opinion at a top ranked hospital
http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings/ophthalmology
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Avatar universal
I also forgot to mention that my Neurologist will not order an MRI because I had one 9 months ago and it was normal. I had the MRI for a different reason then.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for your reply. I actually work a medical school/hospital. University of Virginia Health System and this is where I have been seen.
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Avatar universal
Consider an examination at a medical school.  Johns Hopkins is a good choice
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/wilmer/employees/specialties/neuro_ophthalmology.html
Best wishes.
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