Al wrote:
Hi,
I should probably point out that I haven’t been to an eye doctor in a few years. Anyways, last night my left eye suddenly got really red. The veins in my eye because very red and visible and it looked like it was coming from the bottom up. I put in an eye drop and it cleared up a little bit as the night went on. This morning when I woke up my eye was worse, but I “washed” it out with some warm water and in a couple hours it was completely fine. I’m worried now that I might have acute glaucoma, thanks to some online research. It probably isn’t this (fingers crossed) but I am really worried. I don’t wear contacts/glasses, and it doesn’t hurt or itch. When I put water on it, it stings a little bit for a second or two. Should I be very concerned? I’m very worried about money as I am a uni student and am very low on cash.

ANSWER

Hi Al,
It is very unlikely that it is acute glaucoma as this is a very rare condition especially in the younger population. With acute angle closure glaucoma you would have extreme pain and blurred vision. It is more likely that you may have some sort of conjunctivitis or inflammation. Of course there is no way to know if you are suffering from a serious condition unless you have your eyes examined. I would recommend seeing an optometrist as soon as possible to rule out any serious causes of the redness. You may very well require treatment to assist in the healing of your problem. Good luck.

Dr. Doman

Mallika wrote:
I have severe allergic conjuctivitis. Can an optometrist prescribe steroid eye drops in Ontario or do I have to go through my family doctor to see an opthomologist? The problem with the latter is that it will take months and by that time allergy season will be over and I’m afraid my eyes may fall out from itching! I’ve tried Patanol, Opticrom, I’m continually using cold ice packs and lubricating my eyes and it is only getting worse. Please help!

ANSWER

Dear Mallika
It sounds as if you are really plagued with allergies! Unfortunately, although in many provinces optometrists can prescribe steroid eye drops, that is not yet the case in Ontario. That is expected to change in the near future, and then you would be able to receive the treatment that you appear to require directly from you optometrist without having to go through your family doctor to see an ophthalmologist. Your family eye doctor could prescribe steroid eye drops, but many are reluctant to do so, as most do not have a slit-lamp microscope to thoroughly examine the exterior of the eye to determine if steroids are required, and to monitor the effectiveness of the treatment should steroids be prescribed. In the meantime, using cold compresses and ocular lubricants (and Patanol if you still have a valid prescription) is probably your best option until you are seen by an ophthalmologist.
Best of luck.
Dr. Smit

Pat wrote:
I am 62 years old and have suffered with severe eye pain for several years.  It varies from eye to eye and feels like a burning rod through my eye and other times just really bad pain behind my eye.  The pain is so sever that I am unable to do anything but lay in bed and try not to move. Cold clothes on my eye and back of my neck help a bit. It leaves me with blurred vision afterwards.  It happens about twice a month now and lasts for a day or two. I have trouble with lights and find it hard to work for very long on the computer.  I am self employed and need to keep working.  I went to emergency care and they did a CAT scan and found nothing.  Told me the signs for glaucoma.  I have allergies very bad.  My question is - can teeth infections result in pain around your eyes too? My teeth (fillings) are starting to give me problems.  I have a tooth that had root canal done and later capped. It is still painful, which makes me think it is still infected.  I am thinking of having it pulled.  My dentist has given me two antibiotics and my doctor has given me two other antibiotics for sinus infections over the last 6 months.   Should I spend (a lot) on replacing my fillings or having my teeth pulled.  Can teeth infections be contributing to the pain behind my eyes?

ANSWER

Pat,
Dental problems and sinus problems can certainly cause eye pain.  Have you been to see an Optometrist? If would recommend doing this as a next step if you haven’t already done this.  You should have your eyes examined to see if there is an ocular  problem contributing to the pain.

Dr. Doman

Karen wrote:
Dear Doctor,  I’m a 53-year- old woman who has been wearing glasses for the past 13 years. My first prescription was for readers, and my present prescription is for progressive bifocals. I see the same optometrist for all my vision needs.  I have also been on topiramate for approx. 5 years, which I understand can affect vision. I’ve never had a glaucoma test.

My problem is this: With the last two vision prescriptions (covering the past 6 years), my glasses hurt my eyes and I can’t see properly, even after allowing for a generous adjustment period (i.e., one month).

I have no problem adjusting to a progressive lens itself–not even in terms of the outer edges of the lens.

Does it sound like my glasses are too strong? Why do my glasses bother me so much, for so long?

I do plan to discuss this with my optometrist.
Thanks for your time.

ANSWER

Hello Karen,
I think it is a great idea to discuss this with the prescribing optometrist.  It is possible that the glasses are too strong, but it is also possible that they are too weak, not adjusted properly, or that there is another yet undiagnosed problem that you are suffering from.  I am certain that your optometrist will be able to weed out the culprit since he/she will have all your exam findings.
Best of luck,
Dr. Donati

John wrote:
Had my eye’s tested three weeks ago, sinse then my eyes are sore, irritated, I am sensitive to light, my vision seems affected? My pupils feel like they are still dialated. Is it possible that the fluid that dialated my pupils could have caused this?

ANSWER

John,

It is not likely that the drops to dilate your pupils are still having an affect.  Having said that, it is possible to have a mild allergic reaction to one of the components of the drops - most often the preservative - but that would usually wear off the next day.  I would suggest that you have your Optometrist check your eyes to see what is happening.  I cannot diagnose it without looking at your eyes through a microscope.

Dr. Joan Hansen, Optometrist for CAO

Omar wrote:
My left eye was badly injured years ago. It was healed and vision was not affected, however i think as a result it suffered vitreous detachment.

My eye has been examined many times and i was told always it’s in good health. However i often have burning sensation in eye, it also gets red easily and the whiteness isn’t as clear as the other.

What could i do about the irritation and redness? Can some specific eye drops really help?

ANSWER

Omar,
From your symptoms it seems that you may be suffering from dry eyes.  Of course it is good to have them examined by an Optometrist to ensure that this is the cause of your symptoms.  If you are diagnosed with dry eyes the treatment is artificial tears.  These generally need to be used at least three to four times per day.  Your optometrist can recommend a good brand for you to use.  Usually dry eyes occur in both eyes, but because of your history of having an eye injury only one eye may be affected.

Dr. Doman

John wrote:
I have one sore eye, right eye, feels heavy all the time and pressure, I do spend many hours on my PC, could that be a problem? My eye sight is fine after my last check not too long ago, are there special computer glasses available?
thank you

ANSWER

Dear John
Spending a lot of time on a PC can cause symptoms of what is referred to as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Symptoms of CVS may include headaches, focusing difficulties, burning eyes, tired eyes, general eyestrain, aching eyes, dry eyes, double vision, blurred vision, and light sensitivity. These symptoms normally affect both eyes, however, at times symptoms may be more noticeable in one eye.
Computer glasses are prescription glasses that are specially designed to give you optimal vision when working on a computer. The lenses usually have an anti-reflective coating and, depending on the type of monitor you are using, they may also be slightly tinted.
In any case, it is not normal to have one eye that has a chronic feeling of heaviness and pressure. Even though you may have had a recent eye examination, based on your current symptoms, I think you should see your optometrist again to have your eyes reassessed. There may be underlying causes other than your computer time that are contributing to your symptoms.
Best of luck.

Dr. Smit

Ken wrote:
I’ve been experiencing some sort of eye pain towards the back of both my eyes for about a year now. It tends to persist for most of the day, but really shows itself when I first wake up. Activities like reading or using the computer exasperates the pain.

My GP prescribed me with eye drops and artificial tear, which didn’t work.

I’m current a grade 12 student and it really irritates me to not be able to study. I even tried changing my glasses but nothing seems to work.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

ANSWER

Dear Ken

Eye pain can appear from several causes. The type of symptoms that you have and the fact that is worst in the morning makes me to think about vascular problems instead of eye problems. The best way to find out would be to investigate it through imaging (scan, etc). You should ask your GP to refer you to an internist or a neuro-ophthalmologist to find out. In the meantime, ask your optometrist to document your eye pressure, a complete visual field assessment and to perform a dilated fundus exam to rule out any pathology that may cause this.

Thanks for your interest.

Dr. Langis Michaud, OD, MSc, FAAO
Associate Professor
Université de Montréal, School of Optometry

Tony wrote:
I have been experiencing a number of symptoms recently, that I never had before in my life.

All of a sudden about 2 weeks ago, a strange kind of headache came on that I never had before, this went away the following day and since then I have developed eye pain and burning sensation which is always there. The eyes sometimes water, other times it feels dry. The headaches then returned about 9 days ago and it is causing me major concerns. I am usually a very alert and high mental energy person, but I am now not able to concentrate or follow the same kind of high intensity work I normally do. In fact given the chance I would rather just rest which is totally against my character.

I have had an eye test and my vision is fine, although my far vision is superior to my near vision.

I am in my mid 40s and work in front of PC for the best part of a working day.

Whilst I can tolerate the eye dryness and burning, the eye pain and headaches are quite debilitating.

I have seen my GP and he has referred me to a neurologist, but with the UK ’s NHS system, that appointment could be some time away.

Any idea what this could be and what I need to do to help myself.

ANSWER

Hello Tony,
I am sorry that you are suffering with these debilitating symptoms.  The burning and tearing sound like symptoms of dry eye.  You may be able to find some relief from those particular symptoms with an artificial tear used as needed.  As for the more major concern of the headaches and altered moods, I certainly agree with your GP about the need for a neurology consultation.  I really wouldn’t be able to hazard a guess as to the cause of the problem without examining your eyes.  The headaches may turn out to be not eye-related at all!  I would advise you, however, that if your headaches are increasing in frequency, duration, or severity, that you seek emergent care from your family doctor or a hospital.

I hope you are feeling better soon,
Dr. Donati

Bakhtiar wrote:

I’m 24. I work in front of computer about 14h on a regular basis. I have been wearing glasses for a year (-1 cylindrical left and -.25 right). I also have persistent burning sensation since 2yrs ago on both eyes (larger on left) but quite negligible. The eye drops fail to reduce the burning sensation though (I think it’s not irritation). It also present when I wake up from sleep.

While in reduced light intensity I’m barely unable to see object as big as nail at slightly over my focus point (vanished like blind spot condition). In darker situation (night under moonlight) the blind spot become as large as a rice cooker at focus point even after 30m adaptation. In complete darkness it even larger to cover my whole focus point. To see an object clearly, I must move my focus (as size of blind spot) to nearby object.

What is name of this condition? It’s very disturbing when I go out night.

Thanks for the explanation.

ANSWER

Hi Bakhtiar,
It seems that you are talking about two different things.  The burning sensation that you are experiencing is likely from dry eyes. You should visit an optometrist for a diagnosis, as it could be something more serious.  The treatment for dry eyes is artificial tears. These need to be put in three to four times per day to achieve significant relief.

What you are saying about your blind spot sounds normal.  Everyone has a blind spot in each eye.   The area of the retina where the optic nerve is located does not have any photoreceptors and as a result cannot see anything in that area.  This is referred to as the blind spot.  The optic nerve itself is approximately 1.5 millimetres in size.  The size of the blind spot increases as the distance between you and the object increases.  So the further away that you are looking, the larger the size of the object that will disappear.  If you move your head slightly the object that had disappeared will reappear.

Dr. Doman