Stupid Eye

[blas]

Yesterday morning my eye started really bugging me when I was running my errands after work.

I got back home and took that contact out, because my eye was a little red.

I was on the phone with my bf and all of a sudden that eye started watering like crazy and started hurting like crazy.

I took the other one out and put them away for the day and tried to sleep.

All afternoon I was up and down and up and down because my eye would not stop watering. I used all of what was left of my Kleenex. For a while I was trying to sleep with a Kleenex pressed against that eye, because before my pillow had gotten soaked.

I know for sure it isn't pink eye, because I can open that eye and keep it open, and it's just watering, but not oozing that nasty snot-like film that comes with pink eye. That and the more I put drops in my eye, it gets a little better. But if I sleep, my eye dries out, and gets red again.

So I just decided to quit trying to sleep and got up earlier than normal and put an ice pack over that eye (my family has a home remedy of placing a tea-bag over your bad eye, and it can actually draw the redness right out and get rid of swelling, but I'm out). The eye is slightly swollen, but it's not very obvious. As soon as I put ice on it and put some cream under that eye, the puffiness went away.

I got in the shower, still without my contacts, wow that was hard.....I mean I am almost blind without them. But I managed.

I tried to blow dry my hair but my eye went crazy watering again.

I called in to work saying I could not get my eye to quit watering. I said that there wasn't much I could do here, I was going to lounge around and try whatever to try to make it better, and if it was better in a few hours, I'd come in.

I did manage to fall asleep and not make a wet mess, and I got up around 3:30. But by then, I'd be to work no earlier than nearly 5, so why bother. My eye was a little dry, but some drops made that better.

I decided to take a chance and put a new contact in that eye. It felt ok.

My eyes have quit watering for the most part since I've worn them. I started using my contact relief drops and a lot of the redness is gone now.

I just had an eye exam the other day. I was told that besides the fact that I don't see very well, my eyes are very healthy and there are no problems. In fact, I had JUST put in a fresh pair of contacts that night before work!

The only thing I can think of is that they didn't clean their instruments at the eye doctor, or that something they put on my eyes really bothered it. But why not both eyes?

I've been doing really good with taking my contacts out and not sleeping in them and changing them the way I should be, so this isn't a typical infection from being lazy and it's not conjunctivitis, because I've had that before and I couldn't even open my eye with that.

[Jack]

I used to wear contacts but I couldn't handle them because they would always make my eyes hurt and water after a while. Once it got to hurting like that it could continue for a good while even after I took the contacts out. Maybe there was just some issue with those contacts.

[blas]

I've had contacts since I was old enough to wear them, well over 10 years. I will attest to the fact that I think every once in a while you get a "dud". I swear in every so many packages, there's always one that is just wrong fitting or hurts your eye.

I've been naughty and lazy before and have slept in them for days on end or to save money I'd wear them for months before replacing them. My insurance only gives me a little over $100 a year for contacts or glasses, not both. Once I'm out I usually buy off 1800contacts, because they are half the price of what the eye place charges for the same thing.

I keep getting contacts and refusing glasses because even though insurance will pay up to the same amount for the frames AND lenses, but after my exam the other day, if I wanted glasses that wouldn't break easily or scratch or cause glare, I'd still be paying over $100 out of pocket. And they weren't Valentino or extremely expensive name brand, either.

My work supposedly offers a free pair of official prescription safety glasses for work every year, so I will have to ask my boss next week about that. I really hate glasses and how I look in them, though.

I feel like a dork and I'm sure people will be gossiping about me because I was just whining up a storm before I left work yesterday about how mad I'm getting and how sick I am of that place. But I'm not the type of person who calls in sick when I want time off, I just put in a request for the next week or the week after to take a day off. I hate using vacation time for being sick.

[KiaKat]

I can agree with the "dud" concept. I get them every few boxes.

Note on the glasses: Don't get the anti-glare treatment. It's not worth it and it just makes it a lot more difficult to clean the lenses.

Could it be allergies? I know for me, I have to be very careful during allergy season, because the pressure from sinuses on one side will make it impossible for me to wear my contacts.

[blas]

I actually never really had a problem with allergies until recent years when the weather took on all kinds of new personas.

This year was absolutely horrible because it was so wet and hot this summer. My eyes were constantly sensitive to light, but with the exception of the infection I had in July, it was never so bad I couldn't wear my contacts.

My mom gave me one of her allergy pills this morning to see if that wouldn't block my eyes from watering so much, and I bought some more higher end eye drops.

I will have to go back to the eye place to see if I do consider glasses, but as far as I was told, if I wanted my pair to look like the demo pair (with thin chic lenses), I'd have to pay a lot more with the more expensive package because my prescription is so bad that I'd end up with very thick lenses.

[Becks]

Plaid sends hugs and hopes it gets better soon!

[blas]

Aw, tell Plaid I said thankies and I'm hoping he's recovering well!

[JuniorMintz]

Try calling your OD's office and asking what artificial tears they recommend. It's possible your doctor may suggest an Rx-strength drop like Patinol (or it's baby sister Pati-day). It's a pricy med, but very effective, and it's possible your medical insurance may cover some or all of the cost. (I can't remember if there's a generic for Patinol, but that's worth looking into!)

Also, I don't know what your prescription is, but I can't stress the need for a back up pair of glasses enough. Even if the lenses are thick, you should have a pair to wear in case of an emergency, like an eye injury or infection. (FUN FACT: If you are a good candidate for LASIK, you have to discontinue contact use for at least a few weeks before they can even complete your pre-op work up. No one avoids glasses forever! )

You could also ask your OD if the office offers any sort of discount on glasses paid for privately, or if they have a value line you could look at. If all else fails, ask for a copy of your Rx and shop around.

It may be my job to sell eyewear, but speaking as the one who works the weekend "staff only" shift, I can't tell you how many panicked phone calls from patients that don't have glasses and for whatever reason can't wear contacts. Once it's reached that point, there's really nothing I can do to help them out.

If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know!

[Becks]

Aw, tell Plaid I said thankies and I'm hoping he's recovering well!

Will do!!!!!!

[blas]

Eye is just about back to normal today.

I was able to work last night and it wasn't too uncomfortable.

Thanks for the advice, JAM. Unfortunately I already spent all of my insurance on more contacts, because I was disgusted at how much it would cost just to even have a single pair of glasses. This place is one of the only places in network with the insurance company. I found a very decently priced frame, but the lenses are what are going to kill me. Even with the bare minimum, it's still a lot of out pocket, and I just can't afford it if they are just for an emergency or rare use.

Oh, edit to add: My Rx for contacts is -5.00, pretty darn bad.

[Greenday]

Sounds like you had a sty. I had one over the summer and it was painful for a few days. I was stuck wearing my glasses for a few days.

[klhanson]

The one time this happened to me i had an infection in my eye. I had been wearing contacts too and had the same symptoms as you.

[blas]

I had a sty a few years ago, but the infected eye was so swollen it was much smaller than the other eye.

This wasn't so bad, there was a bit of a difference between the two but a pack of ice easily fixed most of the swelling and the only problem was one eye was distinctly a bit irritated while the other was fine.

I'm wondering, though, if it is something wrong with the equipment or cleanliness at the eye doc, why didn't both of my eyes go bad?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I've never used contacts and I never will. I have problems with my eyes anyway and get uber-twitchy at the thought of something being in my eyes that I could never get the hang of taking out.

I'll likely be a four-eyes all my life. But that just means I get to go shopping for cool frames every year or so.

[blas]

I don't look good in any glasses but those obnoxiously crazy sunglasses.

My vision is so horrible, I shudder to think how I'd even be able to shower and put my face on before putting on my glasses. This is another reason I am so resistant to wear them. Thursday night, showering without them was pretty darn difficult, and I didn't even shave my legs or do anything overly complicated. It's just that hard to fricken see.

I know, nothing excuses an emergency pair, even if just for an emergency, but I hate to think how I even look in glasses. The one pair I wanted, I couldn't afford to save my own life. JAM gave me a link, I'm hoping I can find something comparable to those.