Weird eye problem question.

[lindrusso]

Okay, this may be a silly question, but here goes. I've tried looking up eye problems, but this didn't seem to fit anything I found.

Lately I feel like I have to constantly blink to clear stuff out of my eyes. It's like I have a bit of film covering parts of my eye - but it's not always in the same place. Like right now I feel it in a part of my left eye, but not in my right, but sometimes it's both eyes. I do not have anything weeping out of my eye - like conjunctivitis or anything like that, I don't have a cold or anything else that would obviously cause matter in the eyes. Blinking does help temporarily, but it keeps coming back and it's really annoying.

Could this just be my eyes going - meaning it just feels like there's matter there?

I do think my eyes are starting to go a bit. I've noticed that I need to hold things a bit farther away when I'm reading. It's this feeling of stuff being in my eye that has me perplexed.

Thanks. :)

[Kathy B]

Sounds like you may just have dry eyes. Feeling like you have something in your eye, itchiness, redness, blurred vision can all be associated, and dry eyes can pop up as you approach menopause. You might google dry eyes and read about it to see if it fits what you are experiencing. I have trouble with it off and on, especially at work where the air is VERY dry. Using OTC eye drops (like visine) when it occurs has helped.

[CindyWeightWatcher]

It also could be allergies. My eyes became so dry due to allergies that the drops I normally use (Natural Tears or Visine Clear Eyes) were not helping. My eye doctor prescribed something just for sensitivity due to allergies. I agree with the suggestion to use drops.

[lindrusso]

Sounds like you may just have dry eyes. Feeling like you have something in your eye, itchiness, redness, blurred vision can all be associated, and dry eyes can pop up as you approach menopause.

I did read about dry eyes, but I should clarify that this does not feel like dirt or grit, it feels like a liquid matter - like pus or discharge. There is no burning, redness or itchiness and I would think at least one of those would also be associated with dry eyes. But maybe I'm wrong about that. :)

[wallycat]

It sounds like classic floaters.
Some people have web-like floaty things and others have huge black specs/blobs.
Sadly, there is nothing you can do for them except get used to them.


I found this site that may help explain it:
http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/floaters/index.asp

[lindrusso]

It sounds like classic floaters.
Some people have web-like floaty things and others have huge black specs/blobs.
Sadly, there is nothing you can do for them except get used to them.


I found this site that may help explain it:
http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/floaters/index.asp

Thanks Ana. If that's all it is, it's annoying but at least not of any concern.

But I don't see anything at all - it's just a feeling that something is there and it's blurry.

[wallycat]

Sorry, I missed that part! I thought you said only areas of your vision were blurry.

Have you been checked for diabetes? cataracts??
High glucose levels are classic for blurry vision. Cataracts also, but usually in much older people.

I know you'll go to a doc and make sure it is nothing serious.

[Robyn1007]

Sorry, I missed that part! I thought you said only areas of your vision were blurry.

Have you been checked for diabetes? cataracts??
High glucose levels are classic for blurry vision. Cataracts also, but usually in much older people.

I know you'll go to a doc and make sure it is nothing serious.

Actually, my mom had cataract surgery my senior year in high school so she was 44 which I think is quite young these days.

[lindrusso]

Sorry, I missed that part! I thought you said only areas of your vision were blurry.

Have you been checked for diabetes? cataracts??
High glucose levels are classic for blurry vision. Cataracts also, but usually in much older people.

I know you'll go to a doc and make sure it is nothing serious.

Yeah, I wasn't clear. No pun intended. ;)

I noticed a change in vision when I hold things up to read them - it seems like I need to hold things a bit further away now. But it's just starting and not all that noticeable most of the time.

The other blurriness comes when I feel like I have something in my eye that I need to blink away - it feels kind of like pus and it's also blurry in that same area. But the area isn't necessarily always the same - or at least I haven't noticed it to be the same - I'll have to pay more attention to that.

Yeah, can't hurt to get it checked.

Okay, stupid question. Do you go to a family doctor to have vision checked or an eye care center?

I don't even have a family doctor yet. :o I tried a few times, but haven't found someone who is taking new patients yet. DH has one, but they said they wouldn't automatically take me too - I got flustered and annoyed and never followed through with them.

Guess I need to get back on the phone and try to find someone. I hate that it's so hard to find a friggin' doctor around here!

[wallycat]

You may just be needing glasses plus a floater ;) .

If you have vision care with your insurance, you can always start with an optometrist. If you don't but have medical, call an opthamologist (MD for eyes) and they will help you.

[honeygirl1971]

It sounds like a trip to the eye doctor is in order no matter what for possible vision correction, but I thought I'd chime in with something that I've experienced in the past as well. I have had feelings of something in my eye, as well as sort of "gunky" eyes (not at all like an infection, but I thought it might be related to allergies even though it was not the usual season for that), and when I went to the eye doctor she told me that the liquid in my eyes was thicker than it is for most people. This is not exactly the same thing as dry eye, but sort of related. Anyway, she said to use artificial tears to lubricate my eyes more (I think Visine does make artificial tears, but that is NOT what their traditional formula is, as you know I'm sure--there are plenty of other brands as well). She also said that using warm compresses would help too. I did both things, and it did really help.

[FruitsAlive]

This is probably not relevant, but I used to feel that way until I discovered that I have astigmatism.

[Beth H]

Thanks Ana. If that's all it is, it's annoying but at least not of any concern.

I definitely would get it checked, though. My aunt had problems with floaters, and it ended up being retinal problems (her retina ultimately detached, and she had to have surgery).

[Tarheel YaYa]

It sounds like you have allergies. That is what my eyes feel like these days. The eye doctor can check and see what the source of it is... I just went for a check-up and got put on one of the new eye drops to tame the eye allergies. It's helping. Good luck.

[GingerPow]

Is this something that is relieved when you use eye drops or after you wash your face and some of the water splashes in your eyes?

Have you by chance had to turn your heating system on in your house? I have had that same exact feeling in my eyes due to three conditions:
Dust settles in the house heating system and is blown out when it is first used in the late fall.
Cleaning a very dusty spot, like atop the wall unit, or clearing out the attic, etc. It seems I've developed a dust allergy.
During the early spring when the trees are just popping their leaves and that obnoxious green pollen is EVERYWHERE.

So, to me it sounds like you have an eye irritation or dust allergy IF your eyes are temporarily cleared after eye drops. I buy Bausch & Lomb eye wash, with the little cup. It actually feels great, and clears the eye "film" off very well. Hope this helps.

[Beth Y]

Oddly, my husband does dry eye research and his company makes dry eye drugs, so we know way too much about this issue. He says that dry eye is not always a gritty feel, but that constantly blinking to get rid of a blur is classic type of dry eye (there are, apparently, different types....who knew??). You may be a candidate for a prescription drug, so see your opthamologist as soon as you can if it persists. (I won't tell you the one his company makes or you will think I am selling:eek: ) An opthamologist is preferable to an optometrist for this sort of thing.

In the meantime, he says that simple Visine type drops are not your solution. You should look for a "non-preservative artificial tear", such as Refresh Plus.

[LakeMartinGal]

This is probably not relevant, but I used to feel that way until I discovered that I have astigmatism.
Astigmatism makes things sharper in some areas than others. Think of concentric black/white circles. If you stare at them, they look different in some areas! Sounds like you may have a couple of different things going on, but good old-fashioned eye strain may just be the problem, if you need glasses! I got my first bifocals at 35...;)

[Beth Y]

Oddly, my husband does dry eye research and his company makes dry eye drugs, so we know way too much about this issue. He says that dry eye is not always a gritty feel, but that constantly blinking to get rid of a blur is classic type of dry eye (there are, apparently, different types....who knew??). You may be a candidate for a prescription drug, so see your opthamologist as soon as you can if it persists. (I won't tell you the one his company makes or you will think I am selling:eek: ) An opthamologist is preferable to an optometrist for this sort of thing.

In the meantime, he says that simple Visine type drops are not your solution. You should look for a "non-preservative artificial tear", such as Refresh Plus.

[lindrusso]

Oddly, my husband does dry eye research and his company makes dry eye drugs, so we know way too much about this issue. He says that dry eye is not always a gritty feel, but that constantly blinking to get rid of a blur is classic type of dry eye (there are, apparently, different types....who knew??).

Interesting!

Sigh. Yet another thing to call around and see if I can get an appointment. I hate that part.

Thank you all for all the input. :)

[mcgee]

This is probably not relevant, but I used to feel that way until I discovered that I have astigmatism.

I was going to post the same thing.

[lindrusso]

This is probably not relevant, but I used to feel that way until I discovered that I have astigmatism.

Huh - I hadn't paid much attention to astigmatism because the websites say it usually is present at birth.

[mcgee]

Huh - I hadn't paid much attention to astigmatism because the websites say it usually is present at birth.

I wasn't diagnosed with astigmatism until I was in my mid-thirties. Of course that's not to say I didn't always have it but I certainly was never bothered by it and passed all eye exams. I suddenly started feeling like there was a film covering my eyes and kept blinking to get rid of it. I noticed it particularly when I was driving because street signs were blurry and I blamed it on the darn film in my eyes. Finally went to the eye doctor and it was astigmatism.

[lindrusso]

I wasn't diagnosed with astigmatism until I was in my mid-thirties. Of course that's not to say I didn't always have it but I certainly was never bothered by it and passed all eye exams. I suddenly started feeling like there was a film covering my eyes and kept blinking to get rid of it. I noticed it particularly when I was driving because street signs were blurry and I blamed it on the darn film in my eyes. Finally went to the eye doctor and it was astigmatism.

Thanks. One more reason to get my eyes checked. :)

[Kay Henderson]

I got cleaning products in my left eye twice this spring and didn't wash them out properly either time. As a result, I suffered blurriness and watering for many weeks. Has something irritated your eyes recently? (Smoke from certain types of forest fires can do this to me also.)

Kay

The loss of sharp vision at close range is very common after 40 and may be a separate issue.

[FruitsAlive]

Astigmatism makes things sharper in some areas than others. Think of concentric black/white circles. If you stare at them, they look different in some areas! Sounds like you may have a couple of different things going on, but good old-fashioned eye strain may just be the problem, if you need glasses! I got my first bifocals at 35...;)


Oh, I've got lots going on. :) I can't even find my glasses if they aren't on my face or my night stand. I didn't realize there were supposed to be sharper spots...it's all blur for me.

I hope you get your problem taken care of. I empathize completely.

[jrichards]

Hi - I recently had similar feelings/symptoms, and I was given a diagnosis of SPK (Superficial Punctate Keratitis).

It cleared up within a week by using prescription drops, and rubbing my upper/lower lashlines with qtip dipped in hot water mixed with baby shampoo. The doc also suggested hot water compresses could help.

Anyway, they weren't sure what caused it. Could have been an intolerance to my contact solution, could be from my lenses (though I throw them out every 2 weeks), could be from blocked tear ducts and dry eye syndrome.

Hope this helps you out.

By the way - I didn't google SPK extensively once they told me what I had, but at least one site I went to talked about the rarity of the situation. Not so according to my doc. They've seen a lot of it in recent years. I joked with her it must be like the peanut allergy thing. Never really knew of anyone with that when I was growing up, and now it's so prevalant!

Jennifer