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Inflammatory Filamental Keratitis Anyone?

Posted , 2 users are following.

Light
Light

Extremely dry burning eyes is what keratitis amounts to. It's a side effect of RA, which I've had for nine years along with a number of other less severe auto-immune conditions.

I've had keratitis for over a year now and tried every possible avenue for cure and management, including a slew of different drops and gels and ointments, as well as a long-term regime of Restasis, which as far as I know is the only thing the pharmaceutical industry – and the ophthalmologists – suggest might cure it.

It only made it worse for me!

Keratitis is a kind of drying out of the three vital layers that protect the cornea and keep it lubricated. When the dryness has removed the oily surface and the tear layer, it reaches the bottom layer (called mycene, I think) and then, while further trying to protect the eye, that layer breaks up into filaments which lodge onto the cornea causing humungous irritation, as if all kinds of assorted junk had landed under my eyelid!

​Sometimes these filaments are even visible to the naked eye =14pxas white spots=14px when they appear over the iris. 

Sorry for all this gruesome detail, but I've nver come across anyone else who has had this kind of problem and am badly looking to share stories and maybe find some new avenues of help where the professionals have failed me...

Anyone who has ever had windswept sawdust land in their eye will be able to imagine what a distressing thing this can be, and I do hope someone out there has found some answers...

Thank you...

Light

 

1 like, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Bumblebea
    Bumblebea Light

    Posted

    Hi LIght

    I am wondering if this condition may help me identify what could be wrong with my eye. After seeing may eye consultants,I am now due to see a cornea specialist in a couple of days.

    Could you tell me if it was a cornea specialist who diagnosed your condition, or another type of eye specialist.

    regards

    Bumblebea

    • Light
      Light Bumblebea

      Posted

      This was diagnosed by an ophthalmologist – once in India and oince in London at Moorfields eye hopsital.

      I didn't even know there was such a thing as a cornea specialist! They eye is relatively small and most of it consists of the cornea, so I'm surprised... You must be in the US!?

      Apparently it's not uncommon for people with RA to get this condition... but it's usually in both eyes, although one eye is distinctly worse in my case.

      What are your symptoms?

    • Bumblebea
      Bumblebea Light

      Posted

      LIght , I am in the UK There are hundreds of specialist for evrery part of the eye. The cornea specialist I am seeing was at Moorfield for 10 years, and has now come to work at my local eye hospital. The cornea, is just the protective film at the front of the eye, which protects the surface from any damage, be that foreign bodies, wind or atmosphore. My eye is affected by all of these things. My main specialist who has reffered me to the cornea specialist, has a model of the eye on his desk. It is about the size of a golf ball, and is made up of may layers, the last of which is the cornea. If you look up 'catarract operation'on youtube. You will be able to see the complete construction of the eye, as they open it up and layer it back to get to the catarract which is in the centre of the eyeballl

      I would go back to your doctor and ask to be referred to a specific person who deals with your condition. With due respect, I believe your opthamologist should have reffered you on to a cornea specialist, if this was his diagnosis. Look up cornea specialist at your eye hospital, choose who you think best suits your condition, and ask you doctor for a referral to that person. They cannot refuse.

    • Light
      Light Bumblebea

      Posted

      Hi Bumblebea,

      Sorry for missing your post all this time and thanks for responding.

      I hope to see an eye doctor in the coming weeks and will certainly request a cornea specialist.

      I am aware of the cornea's function and the various layers that protect the eyes but it did seem a little odd that there should be one person who specializes in a small part of the eye, since the eye is a system with all parts working in unison, I assume.

      But then so is the whole body, we hope!

      Thanks for your input.

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