I've been having problems with my left eye since Feb 05....

i was diagnosed with posterior scleritis in my right eye in sept 2010... i also have rheumatoid arthritis... i was initially started on prednisolone 60mg until i saw the ophthalmologist the following week, who started me on methotrexate at the request of my rheumatologist. The ophthalmologist said it prob wouldn't work and he was right so i was switched to Azathioprine which cleared up the scleritis (was given the all clear a couple of weeks ago)... i have only just been switched back to methotrexate as the Aza wasn't helping my joints as the higher dose (100mg) knocked off my liver function tests... i have just had my first dose of injectable methotrexate and i am hoping that my scleritis dosen't come back because i have stopped the Aza... will keep you posted....

If you haven't had Azathoprine prescribed for your scleritis i would suggest you mention it to your doctor as it definitely worked for me....

I have Nodular Scleritis and I find that people don't find you "sick" unless you are really down and out. If they can't see it, it doesn't exist. No one can truly understand the intense pain unless they have had it. With scleritis sometimes there is an underlying condition that makes you get scleritis, sometimes as in my condition there isn't. Most doctors just treat the symptoms and not the condition because it is an auto immune disease and really hard to pinpoint as there are so many variables. I am currently on 20mg of Methotrexate and 3000ui of Vitamin D. I still get occasional flareups and they want me to take prednisone for these episodes. I refuse to take prednisone again. I became so dependant upon it that coming off cause so many more health issues and staying on it started a cataract in my eye. Today I take aleve or advil with the methotrexate, I figure those side effects are better than the prednisone. My flareups come when I am overworked/tired. So I try and get as much rest sometimes 10 - 12 hours a night on weekends. I have looked into alternative medicine but you have to be your own advocate. Know what works for your body and keep searching. I am going to try a new regimine starting the middle of January. If I have any success I will post here again. It's all about trial and error. That's all the doctors can do.

Mine started this way with one eye I went through the treaments of iritis with dialating drops, steroid eye drops, antibacterial creams but it kept coming back. About five years ago I had had enough and was in tears at work with this condition I was sent to see one of the eye surgeons who diagnosed episcleritis put me on a course of steroids for three months then took me off of them but when it came back i was prescribed vexol eye drops and it kept it at bay I have now got new drops to use but i also have to use artificial tear drops to keep the eyes moist and yes sometimes it flares up now but with prompt treatment it settles straight back down. But be prepared to be kept on life long eye drops