Red Eye

[Guest guest]

, pink eye or conjuntivitis can be caused by psoriasis. I have had several infections in the past 10 years. Also, most of the time the inner part of the upper eyelid feels like sandpaper. I use eye drops everyday.

[Guest guest]

Sorry , but you are not correct in your recommendation to Diane. I

practiced Optometry for 32 years before P/A retired me. I have served on

my State Board of Examiners for over a decade and taught graduate level

in my field for 8 years. I have also served on my profession's National

Board Examination Review Committee for 4 years. In any event, although

it varies from state to state, all 50 states license Optometrists to

treat nonsurgical eye diseases and some states have had such laws for

over a quarter century. An Optometrists education is comparable to that

of your dentist and podiatrist (four or more years after college) and our

education now allows our doctors to perform minor surgeries in quite a

number of states. Please don't tell our list members to change from

doctors with whom they may have long and working relationships. Going to

a " strange " specialist who does not know you can be an unnecessary stress

when their personal eye doctor may have the skill and training to treat

their condition more quickly and, possibly, at a lower cost.

Barry Schneider, OD, FAAO

I am glad you are having it checked out, and I

hope you are seeing an ophthalmologist as opposed to an optometrist,

and be sure to tell her/him about your PA.

Good luck,

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[Guest guest]

Hello Dr. Schneider,

Let me begin by saying I have nothing against optometrists and

believe they certainly are important, competent members of the

medical profession and help millions of people every year, including

myself. Secondly, I was not making a " recommendation " to Diane; I

was simply stating my personal opinion to which I am entitled, as are

you and everyone else. Thirdly, I did not and would never presume

to " tell our list members to change from doctors with whom they may

have long and working relationships " nor would I imply that they

should start " going to a 'strange' specialist who does not know "

them.

My reason for stating I " hope " Diane was seeing an ophthalmologist is

it's my thinking that a specialist " may " be more familiar with the

potentially serious occular complications of PA and the other

spondyloarthropathies. If I am mistaken in this assumption, which is

quite possible, I stand corrected; but, again, I am entitled to my

opinion. (By the way, a primary care physician could probably treat

my PA but I choose to go to a specialist as do, I believe, the

majority of our fellow PA sufferers on this forum.) I certainly had

no intention of steering people away from optometrists nor of

offending you or any of your collegues, and I extend my apology if I

have done so.

I'll conclude on a positive note by expressing my gratitude for this

forum and what a blessing it has been in the short time since I have

discovered it. Just reading the posts lets me know I'm not alone in

my suffering, and knowing that I may be able to help someone else

by " listening " to their experiences and sharing mine makes it that

much sweeter.

God Bless,

> Sorry , but you are not correct in your recommendation to

Diane. I

> practiced Optometry for 32 years before P/A retired me. I have

served on

> my State Board of Examiners for over a decade and taught graduate

level

> in my field for 8 years. I have also served on my profession's

National

> Board Examination Review Committee for 4 years. In any event,

although

> it varies from state to state, all 50 states license Optometrists to

> treat nonsurgical eye diseases and some states have had such laws

for

> over a quarter century. An Optometrists education is comparable to

that

> of your dentist and podiatrist (four or more years after college)

and our

> education now allows our doctors to perform minor surgeries in

quite a

> number of states. Please don't tell our list members to change from

> doctors with whom they may have long and working relationships.

Going to

> a " strange " specialist who does not know you can be an unnecessary

stress

> when their personal eye doctor may have the skill and training to

treat

> their condition more quickly and, possibly, at a lower cost.

>

> Barry Schneider, OD, FAAO

>

> I am glad you are having it checked out, and I

> hope you are seeing an ophthalmologist as opposed to an

optometrist,

> and be sure to tell her/him about your PA.

>

> Good luck,

>

>

> This e-mail created with 100% recycled electrons