[guyshahar]

A couple of years ago, I thought I was having problems with my glasses because after taking them off, my vision felt imbalanced - and the problem seemed to be with the right eye. However, after several further eye tests and new glasses, the problem was not resolved.

It became worse last year - with a more persistent stinging in the right eye. I noticed that the stinging was more noticeable in artificial light, or when there was a contrast between light and dark, for example in a room with a window. It was barely noticeable when walking around in daylight.

I was sent to an ophthalmic specialist, and he diagnosed dry-eye in both eyes and a slight inflammation in the right eye. For the dry-eye, he gave me some artificial tears, and for the inflammation, he gave me a steroid called Maxidex for the right eye.

This improved things, and after a couple of months, he told me that the inflammation had gone and that I should stop taking the steroid. When I stopped taking the steroid, the stinging returned and the artificial tears made no differece.

After a while, it was very bad - I always wanted to cover my right eye with a patch because of the stinging. I went back to the specialist, who told me that he wasn't sure what the problem was, but that the steroid had obviously helped, so he put me on a double dose of it for 2 months, gradually coming off it after that. He hoped that this might knock out the problem. Again, the symptoms disappeared, but now I am down to one drop per day - due to go down to one drop every 2 days from tomorrow, and the stinging is already just starting to return.

Also, when I am taking the steroid, my right pupil becomes quite dilated. (I think this also happened to a lesser extent when I was taking the artificial tears without the steroid).

It seemed a bit strange to me and others I have spoken to to put me on a steroid when there was no inflammation. I went to a recommended optician when on holiday in Russia last month - he told me that there was no inflammation and also diagnosed dry eye in both eyes. He said he had no idea why my English specialist would have given me a steroid; and gave me some other drops from Bausch & Lomb (Cornerechel Dexpanternol - this is my best try at transcribing from the Russian letters) and another artificial tear. However, this doesn't seem to be helping either.

Does anyone have any idea what the problem may be and what can be done about it? I have lost faith in my regular specialist because of his reliance on steroids when they don't seem to be necessary... Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[markevansgroup]

The cause can be environmental, and steroids will often just suppress symptoms of anything.
Look for mold, change detergents you are using on your bedding, look for chemicals presently used in your living, automobile and work environments that were not present before. Check you heater system filter. Have you changed soaps/shampoo/conditioner, have you changed your diet? Do your hands come in contact with new things? Are you drinking enough water? Some medical conditions result in dehydration which can aggravate a previously unnoticed condition that was perhaps borderline in its manifestation/symptoms.
Your age can be a factor as well as environmental concerns. If after you consider the factors noted herein, and can not isolate a factor(s), contact the eye institute in SF for a referral.
Mark evans

[Danni2222]

Dry eye is where your tear are breaking up too quickly. Have you had all the glads that produce tears checked to make sure there's no problems with actual tear production?the artificial tears should help with this as often dry eyes cause a gritty stinging feeling. Do you wear contacts? Or have heyfever? Is all is good soung environmental like mark says?