ACUTE HERPETIC KERATITIS

[nh_user_271799]

This is the rather scary title for Viral Cold Sore Infection (EYES)

I have no idea where it came from as I have never had a cold sore ever

I only know that it is extremely painful 

It starte 12days ago,and I just thought I had probably got a bit of

gardening debris in the eye and used Optrex to soothe it, ByThursday it

was very sore bloodshot and the lids were a little swollen .So I rang 

the GP for an emegency visit I met a locum, obviously newly qualified,

Iexplained that there was a lot of pain under my upper lid. She duly 

looked at my eye which she said was perfect .so ,i tried again saying

it felt as though there was a razor blade under the lid She lifted the lid

and said she couldn't see anything   and to come back if it got worse

It did get worse over the next Three days 

so Monday morning I went to where I should have gone in the first 

place, the Eye clinic at the hospital  It opens at 8-30,I wa there at 8 as I

know it gets very busy 

Duly seen and given drops and a thorough  looking at ,and he told me 

the reasons ,and even bothered to show me the pictures ,looked like

three, ( yes I have three of the blighters  squiggles gave me some 

eye drops and an appointment for next week 

It is now Wednesday and eleven drops later ,and i can see nor feel

any change It still hurts like mad blood shot and puffy eyelid

As you can see by the time it is quite early, but it looks as though

I will go back to the clinic

Anyone else had this prob and, most important, did it go away???  

i

[nh_user_36368]

Hi Jacqueline, don't worry!  You are going to the best place, your Eye Clinic.

One of my eye conditions has a longer name than your!

Chronic Herpetic Keratouveitis - chronic only means longer than acute, though I have had this for a long time.

I have never had a cold sore either but, I have had the various Herpes Zoster viruses, Chicken Pox & Shingles.  I have been put on Aciclovir tablets for life.  It might sound scary but it isn't and if they can control your flare with drops, then all to the good.

What drops have you been given?  Don't be afrais to be guided by your Ophthalmologist.

I don't know whether you have been prescribed anything for dry eyes but you may well find that a lubricating drop would help too.  I use drops and also a gel at night, rather like putting vaseline in your eye!

Years ago, I was told by one of my Ophthalmologists, that I should only use preservative free drops etc because the preservative is very drying to the eye and causes several problems in itself.

Drops: Hyabak lubricating drops

VitA-POS lubricating gel - the Vitamin A element promotes healing of the cornea.

Good luck & don't worry, let me know how you get on next week, I'm seeing my Ophths next week too!

[nh_user_271799]

Hello. thank goodness you are there .i raelised when I put the forum up

no one would know what it was 

I have been given Virgan eye gel 5  times a day until it heals I 

suppose that means when it stops hurting  I would like that to be VERY soon .Is it supposed to hurt so much??? there is no problem 

with a dry eye ,a tap turns on and tears roll 'Makes driving a bit

dodgy ,haven't used the car for 6 days, one reason is I look as though

I have been in a punch up 

Does the pain stay intense for long?? The drops don't ease it at all

Would a hot. or cold compress help 

I was using Optrex at first before I saw an  unknowledgable

locum . who said it was O,K to use it Should have gone to the 

clinic first 

Glad you are here

Jacqueline

[nh_user_36368]

Virgan is an anti viral eye drop, which should help, however, your description of your eye dripping like a tap, suggests that you are sensitive to the preservative in your eye drop & you should contact the clinic sooner rather than later.

I was given Ganciclovir eye gel a few months ago, I don't recall whether it was Virgan & I forget whether that is the only available option but, with me, it helped tremendously.  The Ophths told me that they don't like prescribing it for longer than a week because it can cause corneal damage..  Have you read this page?  https://patient.info/medicine/ganciclovir-eye-gel-virgan

Contact the clinic & don't worry!

[nh_user_271799]

Just had to phone the clinic because these eye drops are making 

me quite dizzy and fally over .Of course they are all in a meeting ,so I 

have to ring back in 30 mins  

Are you aware that this might happen or is it just me ??

[nh_user_36368]

Have you got the info sheet that was in the box?  It may well be one of the side effects.

I'll pm you a link to an interactions checker and you can also see details of any drugs you are on

[nh_user_271799]

Our notes must have crossed each other  My body does not take kindly 

to drugs but this seems a bit scary  It must be quite powerful to affect

the balance Oh dear  This half hour is going SOOOOOO slowly

Speak as soon as I know   

[nh_user_271799]

says nothing about the dizzies ,just about blurry vision and

posslbe pain  Will go and phone again

[nh_user_271799]

Well, actually spoke to the guy who saw me .he read through the 

"Book"" and couldn't find any thing about feeling swimmy, so he said 

the usual ,I f it gets any worse see your GP Don't know whether to keep 

on using it  now, Then he said  I might have something else going on

that's making me lightheaded  Does the buck ever stop anywhere??? 

[nh_user_36368]

Have you still got your appt for next week?

He cannot prescribe something, give you a follow up appt and then tell you that if there is a problem with side effects, to go to your GP.

The side effects you are talking about, could actually be you worrying a lot about the unknown.

Are you saying that you started the drops the day before yesterday, Monday?

You may find that your eyes settle down, perhaps by tomorrow, everyone is different.  I forget what happened with me when I used them.  I know that by the end of the week, my eyes felt so much better.

Are you taking any other drugs or supplements, even over the counter products?  These can interfere with your eye drops.  Try to persevere.

What day is your appointment next week?

 

[nh_user_271799]

Hi. this machine refused to connect to th internet ,so I have been pressing everything as usual .then it's as though it feels sorry for me and shows me

how to do it. I swear It is human 

Back to the EYE

 

after the chat with the man had a coffee (in bed ) the fally over slowly 

went I had a look on that prog you sent, frightened me to death I did

try and ask about Zopiclone a sleeper  i take but it went DON'T KNOW

on me but I thought it may have been that ,because I took it about 

11-30  which is an hour later than normal  then I used the drop at

6am so it maybe  that I feel fine now , just had third drop, the pain 

has reduced and the bloodshotness  (new word ) has faded and the fuzzy view has gone .I only take Diltzem and a pro biotic ,so as you

 can see ,I am not saturated with drugs .I made the decision almost

a tear ago not to take any more prescription drugs because I was

constantly ill ,now I am not ,but about a month ago I had eight

days in hospital on a shedload of itravenous  stuff because i had a 

burst abcess in my colon  (Diviticulitis sufferer ) 

My appy is next Monday  but I do have an appt with my proper GP

on Friday, so he can have a look Pity he wasn't there last Thursday

and I may be better by now

 I will persevere ,and take my sleeper  earlier ,and my first drop an hour later in the morning. so I have now used 13 drops  and think they are

working.

Thank you for appearing you must be in league with my  guardian 

fairies,  no  ,I am not a nutter but they always seem to be at hand when  i  am in bother  I can feel you shaking your head and smiling 

Don't disappear                     ,                                             

[nh_user_36368]

Ha ha Jacqueline, I am usually around.

[nh_user_36368]

Oh, now I see why you are dizzy, nothing to do with your eye drops at all!

Get your GP to check your blood pressure, I have not heard of  Diltiazem but I see it is used to treat hight blood pressure plus taking  Zopiclone, which I don't know either but.....

I'm glad your eye is looking better, I will be interested to hear about your Ophth appt..  Mine is on Tuesday.

[nh_user_271799]

My BP is usually good these days As I lost 2 stone and my intake of

food is  now so NOT interesting because of the Divi

Itake Zopiclone small dose because I also have Tinnitus  which is rather

like having your own private orchestra and they tune up at bed time

I can't drop off because od the noise ,hence the sleeper

As you may gather I have total body rot. There are other bits going

on,but I tend to ignore them  as they are incurable .I just carry on

The EYE is so much better from this morning to  now amazing might

just have to go and do some retail therapy on the strength of it Next drip at 6-30 don't know how the half hour snook in

No sleepers don't make me dizzy I think they must have met up and had a showdown and I just happened to be in the middle 

I nearly missed that comment   

 .

[nh_user_43277]

Sometimes the things that look worse on the outside are less serious, so take heart.

Watch out for the preservative in eyedrops. Can do all sorts of unhappy-making things if you;re allergic, which many of us are.

I was diagnosed by Moorfields as having – get this – inflammatory filamental keratitis. Almost as exotic sounding as yours!

You're getting the necessary ophthalmalogical care and so you're in good hands. Don't forget to write up all your questions so you don't forget to ask him/her stuff when you're in the consulting room.

Better still, take someone in with you and a notebook.

I wish you all the best with it.

[nh_user_271799]

Hello. welcome to our tiny forum . I usually phone  if i have any questions like I did this morning  I have to know like NOW !!

Where do we get all these hideous bugs and germs and worse .

No one to take  I'm a D.I Y sort of person  Hopefully this thing or rather three things will have been incinerated and he sacks me'

What or where is Moorfields ?? Sounds specific 

Thank you for joining in, makes me feel better knowing someone

else is there to throw questions at 

[nh_user_36368]

London!

[nh_user_271799]

RIGHT !!

[nh_user_36368]

http://www.moorfields.nhs.uk/

[nh_user_271799]

Did you hear me laugh that was the shortest note EVER