Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Iritis that won't go away

Hi Glenn,

Acular (Ketorolac) is a topical NSAID. Here is some more information:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a601241.html

It can REALLLLLY burn. Wish I had a solution for that.

I am disturbed to hear you say "Mine is never going to get better than what it is, but I can live with that". Please PM me, ok??

Kristin

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Kristin

Kristin,
Nice to see you here again. That's what she said about the Accular. I'll be finding out soon enough. I'm heading to Target right now to get it filled. The eye is hurting a bit right now. It usually does after work.

Glenn

Hey first I want to say sorry about your eys. I know how you feel it sucks big jtime. When I get it, it takes steroid to clear up mine. I have to stay out of the light because it makes it worst.


I hope you get some help soon.


Hugs,
Donna

Love comes in all shapes and sizes

kristin ,

"On the Rutin thread, it was mentioned that steroid drops cause cataracts. Please keep in mind that inflammation ALSO causes cataracts. "

Which is exactly my point. (there are also other side effects of steroid drops that I wont go into...) This is a major reason to use rutin in preference of steroid drops. Firstly: rutin controlled the inflammation far more effectively than the steroid drops ever did. Secondly, flavanoids protect against cancer (this is well researched)

A win-win situation from my perspective ! .. But certainly a lose-lose situation if you choose either the drug-free or the steroid approaches, with that I agree with you.

The only question is will they work as effectively for you as they did for me.


Medical journal abstract follows. Note that "venoruton" contains rutin..
===================================================
Acta Ophthalmol Scand. 1996 Aug;74(4):372-8.

Modelling cortical cataractogenesis. XVIII. In vitro diabetic cataract reduction by venoruton. A flavonoid which prevents lens opacification.

Kilic F, Bhardwaj R, Trevithick JR.

Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.

The effect of a novel flavonoid, venoruton (a mixture of mono-, di-, tri- and tetrahydroxyethylrutosides) has been investigated in healthy rat lenses and compared with diabetic cataract modelled in vitro. One mM venoruton was added to medium simulating healthy and diabetic conditions for the incubated lenses; damage was followed by either stereoscopic photography of the lenses under a Cooperative Cataract Research Group operating microscope or with our recently developed method: the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) into the lens culture media. The increased LDH activity in the medium and observable development of the opacity were correlated with cell damage, which has been found to be associated with globular degeneration and cataract formation. The extent of opacification and LDH release is reduced if 1 mM venoruton is included in the medium. The protective effect may be related to antioxidant activity against reactive oxygen species: decreased luminol luminescence was shown after venoruton addition to either superoxide-generating hypoxanthine plus xanthine oxidase, or hydrogen peroxide.

PMID: 8883554 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

"So long and thanks for all the fish" - Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy

Edited by zark on 07/31/03 09:27 AM (server time).

Hello Bruce,

Thanks for the post. I saw a retinal specialist today and had the fluorescein angiogram test done. They told me that I also had macular edema and gave me the injection at the top of my eyelid this time. He did not see any permanant scarring as of now in the retina. He did inform me though that my lens from my cataract surgury is sticking to the iris now so my eye is not dialating properly. This happened last time I had a bad flare about 6 years ago and it was unstuck during my glaucoma surgury. Does yours affect both eyes or just one. Right now only my left eye has been affected. The doc says if it doesn't look better by next week I will probably start on a heavy dose of prednisone.
NOT AGAIN =) Well thanks for listening, hope all is well for you. Take Care!

Christy S

Christy,

You are very welcome. I wish I would have paid a little more attention to the symptoms before the damage became permanent. I only have a problem in the left eye. What is really funny, is that the very first flare I had was in the right eye, and every time after that, it was in the left. I should have known better, as AS in in my family tree, and both my Grandmother and my cousin who have/had AS were/are completely blind from the inflamation that wasn't properly treated. My advise to anyone out there, IS DON'T TAKE YOUR SYMPTOMS FOR GRANTED!!! Stay on top of it, and if it's not responding right, don't wait. I thought my vision problem was from the cataracts, and they had nothing to do with it. The damage happens pretty quickly and once it does, it's too late.

One other thing to note, since I started on Remicade in January of last year, I haven't had one incidence of Iritis where I used to experience it 3 - 5 times a year. Wonder if other experienced the same???

Bruce

Hello Again Bruce,

How long ago was your first bout in your right eye. I am scared that my right eye will have a flare. Right now its nickname is "the good eye" LOL My vision since this flare is 20/200. As of right now they are saying it is not permanant. I am quick to go to the eye doctor with any pain or redness. My worst fear from when I was little is being blind and it feels like it is slowly happening. Right now I am 27 and I know if my vision is 20/200 in both eyes I would not even be able to drive or do many other things and having to depend on others would be hard to ajust to.

Nobody in my family has ever been diagnosed with AS or has ever had iritis. My dad has arthritis with morning stiffness but no eye involvement and nothing severe enough to see a rhuemy. I do have a cousin though on my dads side that has lupus. It is great to chat with people that can relate because it can be lonely dealing with all the appointments, pain and wondering what is next.

Thank Again!

Have a great night.

Christy S

Hi Chrissy and Mig;
I've had the iritis problem twenty plus times in the past 14 years- full blow eruptions.
My eye doctor gave me a dilator/relaxant (cyclogyl) used twice a day and the
prednisolone drops...my eye doctor always used the schedule of start the prednisolone
drops with 7/8 applications per day- every two hours- for the first three or four
days, then taper down to every three hours for a couple days, then every four
hours until the inflammation is knocked down.
It's been more than a year since a full eruption-i've had a full table otherwise. The
problem with the prednisolone is that it can cause both glaucoma and/or cataracts.
He's always lectured me that the max hit at the beginning and the shortest exposure
to the prednisolone is the best way to deal with it.
Iritis was a great shock to me, because i had no knowledge or appreciation that this
might/would happen...went to ER the first time with both eyes blown up, red and
swollen shut...they diagnosed blindness and sent me to eye doctor.
My eye doctor says i do now have cataracts in both eyes, but for several reasons
he doesn't want to do surgical fix till it's worse: my age, general health, etc. etc.
I also have inflammatory debris free floating in both eyes...my right frequently feels
as if a corkscrew were being turned in the eye. My eye doctor, whom I like a lot, says
he has no answer for the floaters or the unusual pain. I have double vision all the
time and my right eye is barely correctable to 20/200 now.
This is not a fringe benefit you'll enjoy.
aloha Ben

Hi Christy

Welcome to kickas

I had iritis many times when I was first dx with AS almost 20 yrs ago.I was 23. I haven't had an episode in 10 years(touch wood). Corresponded with moving to the states from Canada(no relationship, but I thought I would throw that in). Despite some horrible flares of my AS the past few months I have kept iritis at bay, but I am on a million meds, prednisone, azulfidine, MTX, humira, neurontin celebrex and the list goes on and on.

Anyways not that I have been too helpful but welcome to kickas and hope your iritis passes soon

Take care

Simone

Thank you for the welcome. Did you have any perminant vision loss from your episodes.

My vision is getting worse every time I go to the dx. Right now I am 20/400-500. My iritis has moved to the back of my eye and my retina is also swollen. They started me on 80mg oral steroid, pred forte drops, vigamox, antibiotics, azulfidine, and a dialator.
Somethings got to give here =) They are just not sure how much vision will return.

Thanks for listening.

Take Care!

Chrsty S