Does your fatigue level correlate with dry eyes?
livinglighter
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My dry eyes correlate with fatigue levels. But my eyes also fluctuate with redness throughout the day, with the night and morning being the worst (my fatigue is worst at those times of the day too). Do anyone else's eyes go red as well?
I've had them checked on different occasions. 1st-time ophthalmologist ruled blepharitis, 2nd optician ruled dry eye, 3rd ophthalmologist said no problem at all - my eyes weren't red or painful at the time either. 4th time I enquired at the ME specialist fatigue clinic I was attending and the therapist told me it was the result of widespread inflammation, which I now think could be SFN as I have other symptoms.
Pyrrhus
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Or just inflammation of the tear glands in the eyes, possibly blocking the tear ducts, and possibly as well inflammation of the autonomic nerves that control the tear glands...
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livinglighter
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What kind of doctor would deal with this? The whites of my eyes fluctuate red and it’s more visible under florescent lighting. When I have relapse level of fatigue they turn very red. It makes me very self- conscious as everyone comments on it. I was wondering if it’s the neuroinflamation in my eyes - if that’s possible.
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Pyrrhus
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I'm not sure, maybe an opthalmologist? If it helps, the following article has a readable introduction to problems with tear glands and the tear ducts:
Tear Gland Inflammation (from Manhattan Eye Specialists)
https://www.eyedoctorophthalmologistnyc.com/treatment/tear-gland-inflammation/
livinglighter
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I’ll do some digging and see what I can find. It will be the 3rd ophthalmologists opinion. The last one said my eyes were completely fine.
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Well, idiopathic intracranial hypertension can cause vision problems. I certainly have dry eye. If you have read my posts before, you know I am fully on the IIH bandwagon when it comes to ME.
Here’s a recent paper from July 2021 from Dr. Nicholas Higgins, linking CFS/ME and IIH.
https://www.researchgate.net/public..._caused_by_cranial_venous_outflow_obstruction
I think pursuing an IIH diagnosis could be very helpful. IIH has a number of biomechanical causes, such as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, and craniovenous obstruction. I’ve written here before about how to evaluate yourself for TOS at home. An MRV could be helpful in assessing stenosis of transverse sinus and jugular veins in the brain and neck.
Here’s a recent paper from July 2021 from Dr. Nicholas Higgins, linking CFS/ME and IIH.
https://www.researchgate.net/public..._caused_by_cranial_venous_outflow_obstruction
I think pursuing an IIH diagnosis could be very helpful. IIH has a number of biomechanical causes, such as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, and craniovenous obstruction. I’ve written here before about how to evaluate yourself for TOS at home. An MRV could be helpful in assessing stenosis of transverse sinus and jugular veins in the brain and neck.
Woof!
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As someone with ME/CFS, FM, vertigo and Sjogrens... sometimes they all overlap and sometimes they don't. The one good thing with the Sjogrens is, whenever I'm exposed to a dietary or environmental trigger for it, my eyes, nose and mouth all dry up within minutes. It's obvious. A -----> B. So now I know what to avoid, and in avoiding them I can sometimes have fewer ME/CFS flares. Everything overlaps, and for me, it all comes down to quality of life and fewer symptoms.
If I avoid fragrances, dust, mold, dustmites, smoke, all grains (except oatmeal), all starches, apples, grapes, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumbers, potatoes, pineapple and a bunch of other things, a lot of my symptoms are reduced and life is so much better. But that's just me...
If I avoid fragrances, dust, mold, dustmites, smoke, all grains (except oatmeal), all starches, apples, grapes, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumbers, potatoes, pineapple and a bunch of other things, a lot of my symptoms are reduced and life is so much better. But that's just me...
Rufous McKinney
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that my question....
the worthless eye doctor is sending me reminder notices. I want to call to remind them how i will never go back to that eye doctor, who did not help me one iota in anyway (nor did the "other one".)
I'll be asking if they employ any real eye doctors, Figure that won't go over well....
my eye issues feel tied into my swollen brain and swollen everything else. My tear ducts are fine. If your eyes never drain to your nose, thats pretty obvious.
Woof!
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My recommendations:
(1) See a well-recommended immunologist for a Sjogrens work-up. If you have dry eyes and tend to have a dry nose, an occasional tacky-feeling mouth together with fatigue and other symptoms (all common signs of Sjogrens), they'll confirm the diagnosis and run a bunch of titers looking for autoantibodies to a number of proteins. These titers are run for long-term prognosis purposes (not diagnosis), so hopefully you'll be negative for all of them. The one autoantibody I was positive for indicated I was at a higher risk of blood clots (something that was good to know when it came to choosing a COVID vaccine).
(2) Begin a food & environment journal, to track what you were eating and what you were exposed to when your eyes began to dry out. If your eyes are dry all the time now, eliminate as many of the things that trigger my Sjogrens as you can for awhile - especially fragrances, dust & dustmites and starches.* (You can always allow them back in your life later.) Dry eye (in general) and Sjogrens (specifically) both require solid investigative efforts on the part of the patient. No doctor is going to do it for you. But if you are good at your elimination efforts, a significant amount of dry eye/nose discomfort can be eliminated. I'm living proof of that.
* in most commercially processed foods, cosmetics and oodles of other items.
(3) Take vitamins A and E (not megadoses; just the recommended dose). I find this helps me recover when I get exposed to triggers beyond my control (like people who come close wearing fragrances - aaargh!)
(4) Meter your computer work. Eye fatigue doesn't help the situation.
(5) Find a good tear replacement product and use it as often as you need it, to protect your eyes. I use the same product in my nose (different vials, of course).
(6) If it is determined that you do have Sjogrens, don't rely on solely on the Sjogren's Foundation for information. They have been waaaay behind in the advice they offer and tend to offer platitudes instead of concrete, practical advice like looking for triggers. Their website is a bit better now than it was several years ago (when it looked more like an advertisement for tear & saliva replacements than an authoritative source), but it still has a way to go, IMHO.
Hope this helps!
(1) See a well-recommended immunologist for a Sjogrens work-up. If you have dry eyes and tend to have a dry nose, an occasional tacky-feeling mouth together with fatigue and other symptoms (all common signs of Sjogrens), they'll confirm the diagnosis and run a bunch of titers looking for autoantibodies to a number of proteins. These titers are run for long-term prognosis purposes (not diagnosis), so hopefully you'll be negative for all of them. The one autoantibody I was positive for indicated I was at a higher risk of blood clots (something that was good to know when it came to choosing a COVID vaccine).
(2) Begin a food & environment journal, to track what you were eating and what you were exposed to when your eyes began to dry out. If your eyes are dry all the time now, eliminate as many of the things that trigger my Sjogrens as you can for awhile - especially fragrances, dust & dustmites and starches.* (You can always allow them back in your life later.) Dry eye (in general) and Sjogrens (specifically) both require solid investigative efforts on the part of the patient. No doctor is going to do it for you. But if you are good at your elimination efforts, a significant amount of dry eye/nose discomfort can be eliminated. I'm living proof of that.
* in most commercially processed foods, cosmetics and oodles of other items.
(3) Take vitamins A and E (not megadoses; just the recommended dose). I find this helps me recover when I get exposed to triggers beyond my control (like people who come close wearing fragrances - aaargh!)
(4) Meter your computer work. Eye fatigue doesn't help the situation.
(5) Find a good tear replacement product and use it as often as you need it, to protect your eyes. I use the same product in my nose (different vials, of course).
(6) If it is determined that you do have Sjogrens, don't rely on solely on the Sjogren's Foundation for information. They have been waaaay behind in the advice they offer and tend to offer platitudes instead of concrete, practical advice like looking for triggers. Their website is a bit better now than it was several years ago (when it looked more like an advertisement for tear & saliva replacements than an authoritative source), but it still has a way to go, IMHO.
Hope this helps!
Woof!
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Definitely give them a call, Ruf! You may be protecting other patients when you do by calling out the bad apples.
I can recall twice when I marched directly from an exam room right into the practice admin's office. I quietly, but firmly and authoritatively explained why I was so unhappy with their doctor's services, and because I was clear and authoritative (and not emotional), the admin listed with wide eyes, assured me she would pass my concerns along and assured me I would not be charged. (Of course, in both cases they went ahead and charged Medicare). I would like to say all doctors are wonderful, but sadly, that isn't the case.