Injuries to the Eye
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Eye injury that has turned repetitive
April 2012
A couple years ago I was hit in the eye hard with a blunt object. (I was playing with my one year old.) I went to the emergency room and soon after saw an eye specialist. My eye healed well and I'm ridiculously lucky in where it happened (so they tell me), even though I lost my 20/20 vision as a result. So now I have this problem that if I open that eye too quickly from sleeping, it will rip my eye. It's an extremely sharp pain and will take almost an entire day for the pain to go away again. It's like the slippery layer on the eye never healed correctly and so now it sticks to my eye lid. I've tried putting lubricant drops in my eye before bed, but it doesn't help (doesn't last until morning). I've also tried the thicker stuff too, but I'm not really any good with putting it in and keeping my eye closed until I'm asleep. I just don't work that way. Has anybody had any related experiences with this type of thing? Any ideas of new ways to deal with this issue? Anything would be appreciated. -thanks
This might work for you. I had lens-replacement surgery years ago and the doctor told me to take 1-2 teaspoons of fish oil daily on an ongoing basis to prevent dry eyes (which had been a problem for me prior to the surgery as well). Not only did it solve my dry, itchy eye problem, but it makes my skin look 10 years younger. He said that he does not know why, but his experience is that the capsules do not work well. One must take the liquid form of the fish oil. We use Carlson (Norwegian) which is tested for heavy metal content and comes in various flavors (lemon, etc). It is available in health food stores, Berkeley Bowl, and the like (keep in refrigerator). I simply swallow a spoonful, though my husband likes it mixed into yogurt. My surgeon also said that the only drawback is that you are adding a few calories to your daily diet so you need to be aware of that and, if necessary, cut back a little elsewhere. Good luck!
Google ''Recurrent Corneal Erosion''. I was recently diagnosed with this at the UC Optometry Clinic during a routine eye exam. Mine is not painful and does not require treatment though it does make me sensitive to light. The optometrist told me that cells on the surface of the cornea are sloughing off, perhaps due to an injury, causing the cornea to stick to the eyelid after the eyes have been closed for a while. He said it can be very painful. There are ointments available. Make an appointment with an optometrist - they can tell whether this is the problem when they examine your eyes. UC is great and I recommend it. I hope that helps. G.
I don't know if this would work but what if you wore an eye patch to bed so you couldn't open your eye suddenly in the morning. Then put in eye drops as you first open your eye. Maybe buy some pirate pajamas to go with? Good luck! Arrgh eye pain is no fun
Go to the UC Berkeley eye clinic and see Dr. Robert DiMartino who has trained many of the eye doctors in the area that went to UC. If he can't help you he will know who can. They also have a specialty clinic there for unusual eye problems that he will refer you to for extensive testing if deemed helpful and necessary. Dr. DiMartino is a great guy with a good sense of humor and very very knowledgeable. 510-642-2020 happy patient
What you described is called recurrent corneal erosion (RCE) which can be an ongoing problem after an eye injury. I'm so sorry how much pain you have to endure. However, you really should go see an eye doctor (corneal specialists or medically trained optometrists) because each episode means your cornea has just been compromised with a risk of an eye infection, which is far more serious than RCE itself. There are numerous treatments depending on individual situations. Besides treating the immediate episode, the doctor might suggest to use Muro128 -a 5% solution during the day & ointment at night, ''bandage contact lens'' to avoid erupting the layer, or opt for minor procedures such as removing the loose problematic tissue by cotton tip or laser, or purposely create some minor scars to anchor the outermost layer of your cornea, or something else I'm not aware of. Meanwhile, I would suggest to gently dab/massage the eyelids prior to open eyes, and try not to open eyes too quickly. Hope that helps! An optometrist
I'd make sure to go to an ophthalmologist (M.D.) over an optometrist, not an M.D. but someone who has expertise in glasses and contact lens prescriptions, especially for a recurrent eye problem. Anon
Dear Anonymous who responded that the question asker should only seek care from an ophthalmologist (MD) because optometrists only fit glasses and contacts: you are incorrect. Optometrists do not just fit glasses and contacts. They take care of chronic problems including recurrent corneal erosions (which often utilize contact lenses during the treatment process, but I digress), along with other health issues related to eyes. What optometrists do not do is surgery- -like cataract removal, or blepharoplasty, or scleral buckles for retinal detachments. optometrist who treats recurrent corneal erosions and other eye diseases all the time
I would go to the UC optometry center and get an appt with one of the the resident teaching doctors there, not a student. It sounds a bit like you may have either scar tissue or a small flap on the surface. My wife had a tiny flap from an injury and they had to remove it, then they had her wear a contact and use drops for a week and then it was better. Alex