QUESTION: Is this eye pain something to worry about?

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Timo - 24 May 2005 14:27 GMT

Hello all. I would appreciate any information you could provide me with
regarding a problem that has been bothering me for a while now.

It's been maybe 2 months since I have noticed that my left eye (only the
left) hurts during the early morning hours, or during the night. It
hurts not as if there's a foreign object (e.g. eyelash) but instead as
if the pain comes from the center of the eye, the iris or inside. I have
connected it somehow with not proper sleep, since it almost always
happens when I wake up early or during the night, and the pain can be
really annoying if I try to "use" my eye (that is try to focus on
something, or if I move the eye left-right).

It doesn't happen every night, I would say the frequency is 1-2 times
per week. It's always the left eye, and there are no other symptoms. I
don't wear glasses, and my eyesight is perfect. The pain passes by
itself within 30 mins after I wake up and it has never happened during
the day.

Is this something to worry about? I'm planning at some point to visit
the doctor, when my schedule permits, but I would like to know whether
this is something I should be worried about. My mind went to glaucoma,
but checking the symptoms, it doesn't seem to be the case.

Any ideas/suggestions?

Thanks in advance,
Timo

Reply to this Message

Mike Tyner - 24 May 2005 14:54 GMT

> It's been maybe 2 months since I have noticed that my left eye (only the
> left) hurts during the early morning hours, or during the night. It hurts
> not as if there's a foreign object (e.g. eyelash) but instead as if the
> pain comes from the center of the eye, the iris or inside. I have

This sounds much like a "recurrent erosion", a patch of epithelium that
tears off easily when your eyes are at their dryest and stuck together with
sleep.

It's often relieved by using an OTC petrolatum lubricant at bedtime, like
Lacrilube or Refresh PM.

-MT

Reply to this Message

doctor_my_eye@msn.com - 24 May 2005 23:08 GMT

In addition to the lubricant, it helps to open the left eye slowly in
the morning, as to not rip off the cells that adhere to the eyelid
during sleep. Putting a warm washcloth on the lid before opening can
help the healing process. The longer you can go without ripping off
the epithelium, the more likely the recurrent erosion will heal
permanently.

Reply to this Message

Timo - 25 May 2005 08:33 GMT

Thanks a lot for all your suggestions. I appreciate it.
Timo

Reply to this Message

brushfire - 26 May 2005 05:24 GMT

>> It's been maybe 2 months since I have noticed that my left eye (only the
>> left) hurts during the early morning hours, or during the night. It hurts
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> tears off easily when your eyes are at their dryest and stuck together
> with sleep.

It may be recurrent corneal erosion. But I suffer from it, and it feels
exactly as if there is a foreign object in my eye. So that symptom doesn't
match my experience. The other ones seem similar though.

Reply to this Message

Mike Tyner - 26 May 2005 06:36 GMT

> It may be recurrent corneal erosion. But I suffer from it, and it feels
> exactly as if there is a foreign object in my eye. So that symptom doesn't
> match my experience. The other ones seem similar though.

Good point. Some other thoughts...

One of the few common causes of "deep pain" is uveitis, and it doesn't
typically wax and wane according to the time of day. People usually notice
an association with bright light.

And most of the "deep pain" felt in the eye isn't actually in the eye, but
rather an adjacent sinus. That kind is often worse at rising, or when you
bend over.

It would be cheap and easy to try Sudafed, or another decongestant.

-MT

Reply to this Message