Burning sensations in eyes

[soxfan]

I use to think I had dry eyes but mine feel more like a burning. It happens randomly and I am going through a bad time with it now. It almost feels like they are on fire.

This use to happen alot when I was on abx for Lyme but I am not on anything right now so I have no idea what is going on.
Then I thought it was the lights in the store I work at but it is happening when I am home too. I actually haven't had this symptom in at least a year..

Anyone have burning eyes? It is very uncomfortable and drops don't seem to help I think because they aren't dry.

 

[illsince1977]

Yes, also transiently better and worse. A cool wet washcloth is the only thing that provides relief for me.

 

[August59]

My eyes generally burn bad at night, but during the early part of the day they do pretty good, However, during the last half they get puffy and I get this oily feeling in them and they will get "blurs" or cloudy that will go away if I purposely blink a few times.

Ocassionaly I use the moisture gels at night and moisture drops during the day. I try to use them as little as possible, but we have to do whats needed. The cool wet washcloth works well and I figured that it is because of inflammation.

 

[andreamarie]

I saw twenty five opthamologists thirty two yrs ago. My symptom was constant burning; I had trouble opening eyes in a.m. The twenty fifth finally dx me with dry eye and gave me preservative free single saline drops, which were not on the market at the time. His name is Dr. Steven Foster, in Cambridge, MA and he knows all the best specialists in the world. My eyes are really good now but in the winter, now, I have to run a humidifier 24/7 in my small apt. I will post Dr. Foster's no. tomorrow.

 

[Anika]

I would echo to try (if you haven't already) quality non-preserved artificial tears. There are several brands, for mild to very severe dry eyes, and some are more "emollient" than others. Visine and similar antihistamines may even be counteproductive, I think.

Please, I hope you will consider seeing a doctor about your eye problems. Eye infections or inflammation do happen, and I wonder if they may happen more often with ME/CFS.

A practical problem - if you don't get in to see the doctor soon, your symptoms may be gone or diminished by time you see the doctor. Apart from trying to get in soon, I would keep a daily note of your symptoms and any recurrences, and discuss this with eye doctor if you see the specialist, and also with your primary doctor. Then, if you have a recurrence and have similar symptoms, it might help you to get in faster or to get a prescription to treat the symptoms in the meantime. I recall that prescription eye drops gave me some significant relief, and there really weren't over-the-counter equivalents.

I know how hard it can be to drag yourself to another doctor appt if you don't have to. But plese be sure your eyes are healthy.

There are major cautions to overuse of steroidal drops in the eyes (and any type of intensive use of steroids in other forms), but sometimes they are important to control symptoms. There are some drops I recall that also have antibacterial effects, probably also antiviral or antifungal options.

Good luck. Let us know how you come out.

Anika

 

[soxfan]

I did see a doctor last year about this. He gave me some steroid drops to use for only three days. At this time it was only my right eye that was burning.
He gave me a thorough examination in both eyes and could really just see some slight inflammation. It was so painful that I thought flames would start shooting out of my eye.

He did tell me to buy preservative free eye drops but they don't help. Maybe for a couple minutes and that's about it. I haven't had it this bad in about 3 years....

It it continues then I will give him a call but most likely I won't get in until after the holidays. Thanks everyone. I am thinking it is sometype of inflammation going on since I have had this before but only when I was in Lyme treatment..

Kim

 

[Nielk]

It might be some kind of allergic reaction.
I know my eyes burn when my allergies act up a lot.

 

[soxfan]

It is really random. I had it a few weeks ago and then it completely went away. Now it is back..I am using the drops the doctor gave me last year. They are still good so maybe that will help...thanks

 

[helen41]

I would advise some caution using old eye drops. The expiry date on the bottle is related to the medicine in an unopened bottle, not one that has been partially used. A pharmacist on net doctor says "Eye drops that contain a preservative should be thrown away four weeks after opening, and most of those that don't should be thrown away one week after opening"
You might be better to get a new bottle of a drugstore eye drop to use until you can get in to see your Dr

 

[August59]

I would advise some caution using old eye drops. The expiry date on the bottle is related to the medicine in an unopened bottle, not one that has been partially used. A pharmacist on net doctor says "Eye drops that contain a preservative should be thrown away four weeks after opening, and most of those that don't should be thrown away one week after opening"
You might be better to get a new bottle of a drugstore eye drop to use until you can get in to see your Dr

The advice about the expiration date is probably worth "Gold". I'm guilty myself of using things up to and past expiration date not knowing that the expiration date was based on unopened shelf life. It seems like that the expiration date would be when it should be used by and if it should be used by a certain date, after opening, then it should state that on the label.

I'm curious now what the "legal rule" is about this subject?

 

[soxfan]

My husband is a pharmacist and he said they were okay to use..they helped my eyes within hours and I only had to use them twice.

 

[helen41]

My husband is a pharmacist and he said they were okay to use..they helped my eyes within hours and I only had to use them twice.

I stand corrected Would you ask him what the rule of thumb is when using opened meds? I know pills simply go by expiry, but I had believed liquids and ointments were different.

 

[soxfan]

He said every medication is different....like he said my levoxyl does expire after a year and definately shouldn't be used. But then there are some abx that can be used after expiration date. He said it is best if you ask your pharmacist before using anything that has expired.