Re: Eye health-Thanks Tracie

[Guest guest]

Thanks Tracie for all the explainations you gave about our eyes. I have been on Pred drops for about 15 months now. I do have the dilating drops but am told to use them for pain. I see the Opthamologist every two weeks and he dilates my eyes and has not said anything about adhesions so hopefully I am not developing them. He is going to give a sample of the NSAID that he said I can use for pain. The only time my eyes responded and cleared up (I went down to 2 drops a day of the pred drops) was when I first started Remicade My treatments are at 6 weeks now. I had an injection in my right eye last monday. I HATE THEM! I still have a lot of swelling my right eye lid. None of this affects my vision thank Heaven! I feel like I am doing all I can. I think the next step is to move the Remicade up to four weeks. When I see the eye doctor next week it will be at 4 weeks since the Remicade so we will see what he suggests. I haven't ask what kind of glaucoma I have but will next time I am in. Opthamologist said here is an Iritis specialist in Indy he may refer me to. Rather not make the trip.

Thanks again for keeping us informed. I truely appreciate having someone to go to with questions. My prayers are with each and every one of you in the group.

Take Care

TTFN

Ruth

>> This is a subject near to my heart, as I worked and later managed the office > for an ophthalmologist for 9yrs. He is actually the one that originally set > the wheels in motion to get my sarcoidosis diagnosed. It had shown up as > iritis in both eyes. > > Prednisone tablets will not help iritis. Predforte drops-- when used with a > medication to keep the eye dilated will help. When you first develop iritis > or uveitis - you will have alot of light sensitivity. You may also notice that > your eyes are red, and iritated. > > Whenever I get the first signs of my eyes going into another bout of iritis, > I hit the predforte drops and homatropine drops. The Predforte is just like > any other prednisone in that once you start it-- and at the beginning of a > flare- your MD should have you using the drops every 2-3 hrs, then WEAN you back > off it over weeks-- so that your iritis or uveitis doesn't rebound back. If > your finding that by self treating (even for those of us that have had it for > years) it's important to get it checked each time you start suspecting a flare. > > The reason is that if your eyes are light sensitive, and the iris or uveal > tract is inflammed, then intra-ocular pressure sky rockets. This becomes "acute > angle-closure glaucoma" and is the sight killer. Early detection can save > your vision. > > The Homatropine drops are what dilates the eye. This keeps the pupil from > forming adhesions to the iris. (If I can get my son's scanner to work, I'll > send a couple of pictures of my eyes because I do have the adhesions.) These > adhesions make it so that the iris doesn't open and close correctly, and the risk > of glaucoma becomes even higher. > Homatropine can make your heart race-- like crazy. It is only used 2 times a > day or so. > > You can and should continue to use artificial tears to keep the eyes > lubricated, and that iritation of red eyes will get better, and your vision will be > much clearer. It doesn't "wash" the homatropine or predforte away- if you wait > 30-40 min. after the medication drops have been used. You can use artificial > tears as often as you need them. > > If you think of it this way--- just as our lips get "chapped" so do our eyes. > So take care of those eyes, and those lips. > > Any sign of ongoing problems with your eyes-- and because of the meds we are > on-- stay on the safe side- and get the problem checked out. > > Take care,> Tracie> NS Co-owner/moderator>

[Guest guest]

Ruth,

I'm glad that I can share what I've learned (and that I can still remember much of it!). Ophthalmology was a real passion, and I loved the doctor I worked for. He challenged all of us to learn as much as we could-- and allowed us every oportunity to do so. We had to pay for our courses upfront, but when we passed the exams, he reimbursed us both for the classes, and it also came with better pay. Those of us that took on the challenges, were also given the oportunity to work up the ladder- and the more we took on- the more he'd open doors for us. He's nearing retirement now-- and I told him the other day that I'm not looking forward to him retiring-- he'll be so very hard to replace.

Reading your letter, I do hope that you will be referred to another eye specialist--- two years not getting a handle on your eye health is too long.

You may want to ask if you are getting a 3mg/kg dose of Remicade, or if you're getting the 5gm/kg dose. A small increase in the dose can make a world of difference, and may make it possible to need only the infusions at 5-6 wk intervals.

The 4 wk interval is ok, but I'm finding that the longer I am at this interval, the longer it takes me to recover following each infusion. Granted, it's only 4 or 5 days of being 'wiped out' and then 3+ wks of feeling better-- but I'm not a patient person, and I want immediate results and don't want to have to slow way down. LOL! (like I have any control over this. . )

Do take care,

Tracie

NS Co-owner/moderator