The Eyes Have It

"It" is the active word here. It seems that the day after we learned that our health insurance had lapsed (a long story, probably whined about in another blog entry), something more than a little piece of "schmutz" got into my eye.

Thursday afternoon, I felt as if there was an eyelash in my eye. I tried to look to see how I could get it out and could find nothing. My eye kept on bothering me. It kept me awake off and on all night, and by Friday morning, it looked like my own private version of a GPS. Red lines ran amuck in my sclera. It hurt, too. I knew that this was no eyelash.

By the time I got in touch with my doctor Friday morning, it hurt so much I didn't know what to do. Neither cold nor warm wet cloths did no good. Closed, my eye didn't exactly hurt, but it kept wanting to move, which DID hurt. Plus, I was so light sensitive, neither of my eyes would stay open. If I opened my right eye, it seemed the left eye had a light leak and huuurrrt.

Ok, ok. I'll get on with my story. My doctor, after hearing my story, put a "Stat" referral in to an ophthalmologist, who gave me an appointment within two hours. That two hours was a story within itself, but I'll stay with my eye story for now.

My pseudo-sister Jan agreed to take me to the opth…doc, and she nearly had to hold my arm and guide me into the office. It wasn't sunny that day, in fact we found ourselves darting between rain drops, but the glare was incredibly painful to both my eyes.

We got inside, and after the examination, this warm-hearted young-ish doctor let me know that I have irisitis and uvetis ("U V – tis"). That seemed to have grown from an old surgery scar (Radial Keratotomy in 1992) that got infected somehow and festered, then grew to the point of severe pain. I tried to compare it to labor; that didn't help. Daggers penetrated my left eye. Keeping it open seemed impossible. So—my new good eye doc seemed to know what it was quickly, and gave me drops plus an ointment to put on my eyes, hoping it would improve my situation.

Today, at least I can open that eye! It still hurts—more like there is a large piece of wood in my eye than an eyelash, but it's better because I can at least open it for awhile. I get tired; I read too much. But after a rest I can read some more. Doc said that if it went untreated I could lose the eyesight in that eye. I'm sure glad I called him the morning after it started!

Now—it seems that the "in-a-hurry" doc from last year decided that we ought to just let it go—that it was merely a condition of "drying up as we age." I wasn't even technically "old" yet then! She was in such a hurry, and dismissed me so quickly that I commented to my primary care doc about her. I guess this inspired him to send me to the new doc. I was so glad and appreciative. He (the new doc) described what had happened, took time with me to make sure I understood what had happened, and also said treatment for this is important because it can be vision threatening.

I see him again tomorrow, and am hopeful I'll "see" a major improvement soon!