Sudden eye pain & irritiation

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halterb@aol.com - 26 Mar 2005 15:04 GMT

I wonder what someone, especially one of the pros, might think of a
person with a POAG history who was awakened at 3 a.m. with fairly
severe pain in an eye. Pressure a couple of weeks ago was 15 with
CoSopt and Xalatan, and exam had shown angles "wide open." After
arising in morning, pain subsided but eye extremely irriated and vision
poor. Holiday weekend makes it hard to get advice. Only thing I can
think of was having raked the yard along the edge of a white driveway
the prevsious day in bright sun, plus a fair amount of computing and
reading afterward.

Thanks for any input.

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StanleyH - 26 Mar 2005 22:30 GMT

>I wonder what someone, especially one of the pros, might think of a
>person with a POAG history who was awakened at 3 a.m. with fairly
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
>Thanks for any input.

If I were you, I'd call up the doctor's office--and there may be an
emergency no. to call. For emergencies, I am told to go to a
hospital. All in all, if you are not improving, better to see
someone. It may be nothing, but it'll put your mind at ease.

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Tom - 27 Mar 2005 07:47 GMT

> I wonder what someone, especially one of the pros, might think of a
> person with a POAG history who was awakened at 3 a.m. with fairly
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Thanks for any input.

It is my understanding, and I am far from an expert,
if the pain goes away it is not an emergency eye
pressure problem. I could be very wrong so please
do not rely on this statement.

I am wondering about an issue on similar lines. I have
read several times that open angle glaucoma does not
cause eye pain. For various reasons, it seems to me
that pressure in the eye causes some pain. This is
based only on my perception. I am wondering if
anyone has similar perception.

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Laura - 28 Mar 2005 02:07 GMT

I have open angle glaucoma in one eye. I had some pain last summer a
few days after my trabeculectomy. The pressure had climbed. The pain
was relieved when my doctor let out a stitch, opening up the drain a
bit more and bringing the pressure down.

Laura

>I am wondering about an issue on similar lines. I have
>read several times that open angle glaucoma does not
>cause eye pain. For various reasons, it seems to me
>that pressure in the eye causes some pain. This is
>based only on my perception. I am wondering if
>anyone has similar perception.

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eyeguyrc@aol.com - 01 Apr 2005 06:00 GMT

The most common reason to awake with severe eye pain in any patient
(glaucoma or not) is a recurrent corneal erosion, an irritation or
abrasion of the corneal surface that never quite fully heals. During
sleep the lids stick to the corneal surface and the epithelium
(covering corneal cells) sluff off, causing pain like a fresh abrasion.

The best treatment is to use either a gel (like Refresh Liquigel)
or an ointment (like Lacrilube) at bedtime for several weeks. It is
highly unlikely to be an IOP spike that is waking you. If it's no
better with gel or ointment, see your doc soon.
Take care,
Rick Cohn, MD
Glaucoma Specialist

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