Can't find these symptoms anywhere!

[rachell1807]

Hi, I have been searching this website and the rest of the internet for help with my eye problem but can't seem to find anything!

At first I thought the problem was some sort of extreme sensitivity to light where I literally couldn't keep my eyes open in bright sunlight - I noticed this when on the train/walking around and even when driving (don't worry I pulled over!) that my eyes really struggling to stay open.
I've noticed this for longer than a month but didn't take much notice as I thought it was my contact lenses playing up, only recently though has it got so bad that I phyisically couldn't open them inside either - the only way to explain it is like the feeling of being so tired that your eye lids just droop, but I'm not tired!

I got an ermency appointment at the doctors and she referred me to eye casualty immediately. the optician I saw there seemed to be pretty clueless after I had explained I couldn't open my eyes he kept shining the light in and telling me to open them! He put it down to an eye infection and just prescribed drops (which admittedly have helped a little) but I just think it's more than that!
I still can't open them in bright light and struggle to get used to the computer screen. I am no longer wearing my lenses and have changed back to glasses. There is no pain or irritation at all! which I think is strange!

Has anyone else heard of anything like this? It was really scary not being able to open my eyes.

Thanks
Rachel

[Kot1972]

Hi,
Drooping eyelids may be also a sign of a muscle disease. If you have increased sensitivity to light because of dry eye (not uncommon for contacts users) or another problem, the need to squint can aggravate muscle fatigue. I probably know what you are talking about, I have my eyes "closing by themselves" in the bright light, I do not have difficulty opening them, but I have difficulty keepng them open. In my case it is associated with the combination of dry eye and a muscle disorder. I agree with the previous comment - go see a neurologist and ophthalmologist, and they may refer you to a neuro-ophthalmologist. Meanwhile, you may want to try lubrication drops several times a day - and wear sunglasses whenever you need them. (I wear sunglasses even on a rainy day and after the sunset, especially while driving). Hope this helps.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
What you have is probably photophobia or increased sensitivity to light. Retinal detachment (this also causes flashes of light), iritis, uveitis, optic neuritis, corneal ulcerations and other afflictions of cornea, and cataracts are a few eye related causes for increased sensitivity to light. It can be due to nervous system disorders like herniation of tonsils or Chiari malformation, meningitis and encephalitis. The latter two you obviously do not have as you do not have nay other symptoms. Chiari malformation can be diagnosed by a MRI of the brain. Other than that it can be a symptom of migraine, retinal migraine, ophthalmic migraine, magnesium deficiency, infectious mononucleosis (if you have a recent history of flu like symptoms), chronic fatigue syndrome, hangover, side effects of certain drugs etc.
Please consult your PCP for primary examination followed by proper referral. You need to consult an eye specialist and a neurologist.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!