Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Iritis question

i haven't had an Iritis flare-up in several years, and lately(past week or so), my right eye (the one that usually gets it) has been getting very sore, bloodshot, and light sensitive, but only in the evening...I don't think that it's due to eyestrain, as my left eye is just fine...
i don't know if perhaps it's a mild flare-up, or just the slow onset of a larger one. in the dozen-odd times i've had iritis over the years however, I've never had any "slow" onsets.

also-whenever i have a flare-up, the affected eye is usually inundated with floaters, to the extent that it's like looking at pond water thru a microscope...but so far, i haven't noticed any build-up.

has anyone else ever had a relatively "mild" case of iritis, when you're more accustomed to the full-blown, eye patch and dark room for 3 days kind of flare-up?
or- does it usually come on rather quickly, or have you had a seemingly slow onset of a flare-up(of iritis, not AS)?

I'm assuming that many of you...us...have had experience with iritis...?

Generally in the years I have been coming here the advice is and I follow it is:Iritis can blind you and you should have it checked by an opthalmologist ASAP. Mine lets me keep a bottle of Steroid drops on hand but she says to always come in.
Kev

No promises.. but rutin seems to have helped my iritis, along with my hands and knees :
https://www.kickas.org/cgi-bin/w3t/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=drugs&Number=95995

here is another thread:
https://www.kickas.org/cgi-bin/w3t/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=starch&Number=100470

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

I have had multiple bouts of iritis ranging from mild to very severe. I also have had scleritis. The scleritis is more localized. I can usually see a red spot on the eye and have a painful spot to touch. It was diagnosed by a good opthalmologist. Are you on any meds? If you are they could be wearing off by evening. Or activity could lead to problems in the evening. I also keep a bottle of Pred Forte handy at all times. I have been able to ward off a few mild cases by using a little Pred Forte. But I take daily pred by mouth, 10 mg, and also Methotrexate 17.5 mg and this has kept me from iritis for a few years. But most of my iritis came on like gangbusters with no warning.

Jane
22 bouts of iritis

as I said, it's been a while since my last iritis flare-up...I do have a bottle of prednisone drops, but it has an expiration date of 12/02...since it's just a couple months ago, i decided to use the drops tonite anyway, and see if it helps at all...my past eye-doctor retired last year, so i suppose i might as well seek out a new one.

ReFusing:

I have been wondering about the same problem! I recently experienced the eye soreness you mentioned. For about two days my right eye was tender to the touch and slightly red. I had an iritis attack last year, and thought this might be precursor pain for a new onslaught, and was just waiting for the dreaded "light saber" to be rammed through my eyeball.

But it didn't happen. After a few days (and a few extra hours of sleep) it cleared up. I'm still miffed about it.

I'll be watching your thread for responses from others.

Be well.

Mike



One can never get any but a loose and ignorant notion of such things except by experience.

~ Mark Twain on the subject of pain

In the category of do as I say, not as I do, get yourself to the eye doc!!!! I had a bout of scleritis a couple of weeks back and despite all good advice here I let the thing to on, until I had my rheumy appointment and got fussed at a lot for my self diagnosis. My excuse? I hadn't found an eye doctor yet down here in Florida. So my mom (nag, nag, nag, but what are mothers for? She had been giving me a hard time about it too) set me up with her eye doc and I went in and it was scleritis. It was another round of dry eyes from not taking my meds regularly - - Arava will keep Sjogrens symptoms away but ONLY if I take it - - that led to a very sore left eye. Not iritis, but I let it go on way too long without having it checked out, if it had been iritis I may have been doing damage to my eye by trying to ignore the whole thing.

Cheryl

Dogs just wanna have fun

It can absolutely come on slowly,... even if you usually experience a more sudden onset. It is typical that the more you have it, the earlier you can detect it in yourself. Consider that you have just graduated to 'early detection status',.... and go get to the Opthalmologist now!

Best wishes!

mig

I suspect that in gaining additional sleep... you may have helped prevent another episode. Sleep is a huge tool in our preventative arsenal. It steps our stress level down a few notches and stress is iritis's pal for sure.

Take care!

mig

I have had countless attacks of iritis in the past 6 years. Usually they come on with a bang! But I recently had an iritis flare that took almost a month before any light sensitivity set in. I did get checked by an eye dr, just to make sure. Yep, definately iritis. That flare has yet to settle down completely. Going on 3 months now.

So get it checked, not all attacks are the same. And iritis can permanently damage your eye.

Hugs,

Cindy

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.