Shingles in eye, extreme light sensitivity 26y/o
Posted , 7 users are following.
Long story short I just got over my first experience with shingles on my cranial nerve and face and in my eye now my eye is extremely light sensitive and it's been two weeks since I could go outside. has anybody gone through this ? How long did it take you to get over the light sensitivity ? (I've seen some threads on here everybody seems so nice any advice will help.)
Please ignore my grammar I'm using text-to-speech
Now the long story... I was sitting at my nephew's party when a horrible headache came on just a stabbing pain behind my eye every minute on the minute it never went away it just getting more intense an the next night I couldn't take it anymore so I drove myself to the ER and nobody could tell what was wrong with me and took me 4 ER trips in order to be admitted my parents at that time was not going to let me leave without getting admitted. They check me for aneurysms Strokes brain tumors the whole works I was so stressed and terrified and thankful all those tests came back negative they had me scheduled for sinus surgery the next morning because they couldn't fathom where the pain is coming from. Finally by tooth and nail they Dragged In A ophthalmologist who diagnosed me. At that time I was given IV antivirals and Gabapentin for the neuralgia. At the end of this I was released and able to see fine. I ran out of my antivirals for two days and I woke up one morning with extreme light sensitivity and it has been 2 weeks since I have been able to drive I have dropped out of school and I have lost a lot of my Independence due to this condition. I have gone to my opthamologist who prescribed me corticosteroid drops and antivirals as well as antiviral drops. Nothing seems to be getting better in a nutshell well actually not in a nutshell he told me straight up the nerve is fried I'm going to be like this for the rest of my life. Just keep your glasses on and go on with life. Of course I'm 26 I feel like I have the whole rest of my life ahead of me and I just start bawling my eyes out. He was very blunt and rude. Whatever drops he put in my eye allowed my eye to open up one hour after his office visit it only lasted about a half hour to 45 minutes but I was able to see for once in two weeks. Therefore it gives me hope that it will get better in time and it is not permanent. I do not believe I will be going back to his office and I will be going to get a second opinion at another opthamologist. I do archery for sport and I want to finish school to be a teacher I have so much ahead of me I feel so depressed and lost somebody please help me
2 likes, 51 replies
Merry19451 april66508
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I am optimistic that your eye will heal. Hope springs eternal❣ I am glad you are being seen pronto.
Let us know!
Best Wishes
Merry Juliana
april66508 Merry19451
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Thank you for the recommendation he was very nice and informative! he said the eye looks GREAT but I do have zoster on my eyelid. he put me on a lower dose of acyclovir 400 5x a day for 20 days and wants to see me back in 1 month. he gave me hope that the nerves heal themselves and will be better over time. it may Not be 100% but much better than it is now! like I said to Val, I feel like I'm searching for a specific time, which is certainly impossible to get. Nobody could know that answer except God!
Merry19451 april66508
Posted
Dear April,
I am happy to hear this ophthalmologist treated you professionally and is more optimistic about the recovery of your eyesight.
BTW: whenever you have a serious problem with your health, it is better to go to a University Medical Center with highly skilled specialists. The physicians and clinicians keep each other current, and the inferior ones are culled.
I suggest you Google Herpes and follow high Lysine low Arginine diet. Arginine triggers the varicella Herpes virus and Lysine soothes it. It has helped me by decreasing the frequency of the episodes and the severity of the pain.
Please keep us posted as to your progress. I know it is a process, but tincture of time is one of nature's best healers. That, and rest and sleep!
Best Wishes
Fondly,
Merry Juliana
april66508 Merry19451
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Merry19451 april66508
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April,
I was eating nuts and legumes for cardiovascular health as they are high in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, but unfortunately high in Arginine. The "Old Lady in the Shoe" brought up the diet connection on this site. I am forever indebted to her.
We all learn and support each other here!
Merry Juliana
valerie03145 april66508
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april66508 valerie03145
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Hey! I believe I am getting better I am now able to see in the house with the lights on - but not outside. I am still unable to go outside without sunglasses and a hat unless it is dawn or dusk. My distance vision is blurry and double but my close vision is just fine. I still cannot watch tv - it's been about 3.5 weeks since I've became light sensitive. I hope I am getting better I feel like I am!
april66508
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april66508
Posted
valerie03145 april66508
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I think it won't be long now! When I went back to work, I could tolerate the lights in the office, but looking straight ahead took a little longer...maybe 2-3 weeks.
april66508 valerie03145
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I'll keep you updated !!
april66508
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1 month light sensitivity today! Been second guessing myself whether or not I am really getting better. (trying to be positive but I hate somedays I feel like i take two steps back)
Somedays are better than others. On bright sunny days it seems impossible for me to ever see straight again without sunglasses it's getting so mentally debilitating and I hate that I don't have answers as to why this happened or what is causing it. Did you ever know exactly what was causing it? Retina? Cornea?
I don't understand why I am seeing straight normal in the dark, each single eye can now look straight in the light but together they cannot stand the light.
The sparks in the eye started a week or so ago. Whew, I now know what your talking about.
Is there anything you did to try to build your eye up to the natural light daily? The past two days my eyes just hate the natural light and it's so tiring and depressing trying.
I am able to watch TV with sunglasses, driving at night, my prime is now 715pm -haha. Though I might be able to drive in the day when the sun is above me with a hat and sunglasses.
april66508 valerie03145
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april66508 valerie03145
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valerie03145 april66508
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Hey, April. So sorry this isn't clearing up faster. I do remember having both good and bad days once I started to see a little improvement. I did not find out what was causing the extreme light sensitivity. I figured it had something to do with damaged nerve endings needing some time to heal. I was hoping we would both find out from your eye specialist. As for doing anything to try to help, I have the small version of the Simple Human lighted makeup mirror, and I used to put my face up to it and force myself to open that eye to look at it and to let the light shine on it. It would take 10-30 seconds to be able to do it. Then after keeping my open like that for a minute or 2, I could walk around in a room with lights on for a little while with less sensitivity. I did it over and over. My opthalmologist didn't see how that could help and couldn't explain the extreme photophobia. I've heard that keeping everything dark can make photophobia worse and make your good eye a little sensitive to light, too. I was surprised to find that covering my affected eye with a patch or my hand just didn't work at all.
When I first drove during the day, I had to use one pair of sunglasses on top of another pair! Also, the ability to look straight ahead was the last thing to get better.
I really hope you get more improvement soon!
april66508 valerie03145
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The day after I posted this, I had a huge improvement. I am able to watch tv for a little while without sunglasses, then I put them on! And I am able to drive in the day, as long as the suns lot blaring in my eyes with one pair of sunglasses- The oven light, and bathroom overhead light no longer bother me. I am able to look outside now. It's amazing. I definitely still have some challenges I am facing with my eye! I cannot wait until I can go outside without sunglasses, I feel that is right around the corner as well. Our timelines seem to be pretty consistent with each other. I do believe the Cold Laser treatments are helping with my eyes, and inflammation. Thank you for all your help, you and Merry have made me have hope, and feel positive again. I don't know what I would've done without either of you!
valerie03145 april66508
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