Was playing with miss 7 last night and whn I got up I noticed I would feel sort of dizzy when I moved my eyes too quickly. I thought it would settle over night. Was watching movies this morning and thought my eyes were a bit blurry but thought it was just because of the late nights watching the olympics.

About lunch time I ducked down to the shops and it was then when I was driving that I really noticed how bad the blurry vision was. It concerned me so much that I drove straight to the optometrist and luckily they were open and saw me right away.

Found out I have a severe allergy in both eyes and the optometrist said it would be like trying to see through frosted glass. That was exactly what it is like. I have some drops that should help and have to go back on Tuesday.

The optometrist said it could be caused from a number of things but the dry eyes brought on by the AS made things worse. She is also concerned that it may bring about a flare up of iritis.

Has anyone else had this problem?

Thanks
Trish

Yes Trish. Just been through a bout of it. Severe dry eyes - and this in spite of all the precautions I take. Problem has been exacerbated by my anti-hypertensive drugs! Darn nuisance. My ophtho gave me Blephagel to use and insisted I up the use of the preservative free artificial tears to several times per day. New regime is helping. It is my right eye that is the more affected.

I also get the swirling from the BP meds. Like, no win! Sigh.

Thanks Molly
I have had dry eyes for years before I even had my AS DX. But the drops were stopped due to the risk of developing glucoma (my dad has this and so did my grandfather)
I have never had an allergy like this before though.

Optom put me on Zaditen drops for the allergy and Systane ultrs UD for the dry eyes.
I am hoping it will clear up soon. I have decided I can not drive the 1hr tomorrow to take miss 15 to her MRI so it will be a long train and bus ride for us = pain. grrr

What drops were you on that yr ophtho felt would possibly lead to Glaucoma? Need to keep eyes hydrated. LacriLube is a good eye ointment to use at night time. And this Blephagel my ophtho has just given me is quite good. And one of the best is, warm/hot eye compresses.

I have glaucoma - NTG: no tension G (in the family as well - one aunt went blind with it). It's a beast as there is not much choice of treatment. Glaucoma eye drops are out - NO pressures to bring down! (And for me, I throw too many side effects, like mega double vision!) Laser treatment? need to be ultra careful as do not want a hypotony - too low pressure (less than 5mmHg) or even collapse of eye due to too low pressure. My pressures are L.8 and R.10.

Ensure yr drops are preservative free. Single unit dose. Does help some. Systane. Excellent. Tip. Keep in fridge. Keeps em cool - lovely to use. I think Systane are one of the best artificial tears on the market.

Hope you can sort - as eye probs are nasty. Have a good journey - I've got a biggie coming up, will have to be by train as will take half a day to get there...sigh. But a highly recommended ophtho unit.

Take care Trish -

Trish I have to take steroid drops twice a day since I am off of Remicade and MTX now. To counter the pressure in the eye that can lead to Glaucoma, my Eye Dr. has me on Azopt 3 times a day and the steroid Mon, Wed, and Fri.

Pea, did you know that LDN, low dose Naltrexone, can ward off uveitis! Doesn't do owt for glaucoma but for iritis/uveitis has a good track record.

What are yr pressures Pea? Yes, you don't want the beast glaucoma calling. But Gl is not just eye pressure, it is the damage to the optic nerve. Steroid drops can lead to glaucoma. And all cortisone meds can exacerbate a glaucoma condition. A hell of a catch 22 situation.

Take care Pea -

Molly I am not sure what the drops were called (over 10yrs ago) but they were a steriod drop. I used to have episodes where I would be driving or walking down the road and all of a sudden couldn't handle the sunlight. It was just like when someone pokes you in the eyes and you just can't open them because of the pain.

Looking back now it was more than likely connected to AS.

I really should have the pressures checked in my eyes.

Trish - find an ophtho-optomertrist (or ophtho) with an OCT - or at least a Heidelberg, HRT3.

Glaucoma is not just about IOP (optic pressures) it is about retinal nerve damage and field of vision and contrast sensitivity.
*To see the optic nerve properly will need the OCT or an HRT3.
*To look at field of vision, a Humphrey.
*To check contrast sensitivity, a MARS chart. (Not all ophthos check contrast sensitivity).

Just checking pressures is pointless. You can have 'normal' level pressures and severe retinal damage. You can have high IOPs but no retinal damage at all! (High IOPs would be a 'danger' signal 'for' glaucoma but not necessary to treat). Glaucoma eye drops can in their own turn cause eye problems. Current thinking is now to look at treating high IOPs by surgery, but NOT the big stuff, start with the SLT that will bring the pressures down to a better or even normal level. SLT has no side effects whereas the heavier surgeries 'can' and often do, bring problems in their wake.

*One can use SLT for normal tension glaucoma.

IOP pressures are normal below 21mmHg. Over 21 is considered an elevated optic pressure. But do know of persons with 50mmHg and no retinal damage at all. And others, like myself, L.eye 8mmHg and R.eye 12mmHg with severe retinal damage in the R. eye. Nowt is set in concrete. NTG (normal tension G.) is one of the worst Gs to treat. (I have had the SLT both eyes. And use some of the recommended alternatives as detailed by Ritch)

So. Take home, is, find a good ophtho who has the diagnostics and run the gamut of the tests, then take it from there.

Meantime, a superb glaucoma expert is Prof Robert Ritch, New York Glaucoma Association - you can google him up. Interestingly, he wrote an excellent paper on treating glaucoma using alternatives. Another international expert is Professor Josef Flammer of Switzerland. (Ritch and Flammer are considered world leaders in matters of glaucoma. What I particularly like about Ritch is his approachability and complete open mindedness - guy is one seriously superb specialist).

Hope this helps -

P.S. Expert in Contrast Sensitivity is Dr Eleanor Faye, Lighthouse International, N.Y. She recommends using the MARS chart for CS. Dr Faye is another very approachable and expert glaucoma eye specialist.

Thanks so much for the info Molly.
I will ask for a referal when I go back on Tuesday. My eyes are just killing me tonight. They feel like they are going to explode and that if I sneeze they would go flying out of my head. I know that's not going to happen but that's what they feel like.

I will have to do some research on the info you have given. Stupid me have really neglected my eye issues.

Trish - that sounds like a 'possible' elevated IOP (intra-optic pressure). Wear dark glasses when in bright light/outside. Don't do bending down work. Might try cool water eye compresses. Sleep with top of bed elevated some - can use a pile of pillows for this. Also, get yr blood pressures checked - both arms.

Take care - and Tuesday is soon here!