any experience with uveitis?

[lubblyjubblies]

Been to my GP's today due to a painful very red eye. I was pretty sure it wasnt conjuctivitis as no crustiness or itching, so thought I possibly had something in it. It started very suddenly on Sunday night.
Gp wants me to go to the eye casualty in the morning as he thinks it may be uveitis.
I have had a little google but would like some first hand experiences please.
Do they try find out why it happens, and how long till you felt better and what helped,
Thanks in advance

I had acute uveitis. Went to the gp who gave me stuff for conjunctivitis.
Over the w/end it got worse. By Monday I was ready to pull my own eye out. Had to keep it covered as couldn't bear the pain caused by any amount of light.
Went to eye hospital who said they needed to treat it immediately.
I had 2 sub-conjunctiva injections of steroids.
Was given 2 types of drops. Steroids and something to keep my pupil dilated.
I was told that if I'd left it any longer I would probably have lost my sight in that eye.
Treatment was about 8 weeks, I think.
I was told that mine was unusual in that it had become so bad so quickly.

They said that it can flare up as a one-off. But if it recurs then it might be related to auto-immune problems and they would probably look into that.

My eye feels like its bruised somehow, and if I focus it hurts more. I am unintentionally squinting through it too. Other eye is fine though.
How quickly did drops work?

injection in the eye juuule?
oh my!

I have had uveitis many times over the years. It is treated with a combination of steroid and anti-inflammatory drops.

It is important to get treatment as a matter of urgency as delay can lead to permanent damage to your sight.

In my case in it part of an auto-immune disorder (ankylosing spondylitis)-the hospital will probably do some tests to try and establish why you have got it.

I had to have an injection the first time I had it Juule-I did not know what was causing the pain and neither did my GP. It was so bad the drops did not work by the time I got treatment.

I've had it 2 or 3 times. Its horrible -painful, blurry vision, takes ages to clear up, hurts being in light so you find yourself in darkened rooms.

The sooner its caught the better as it can cause permanent damage.

The first time I had it diagnosed (after a mis-diagnosis of conjunctivitis) I was having to put in drops every hour, even through the night. Gradually, over a period of weeks, the frequency is reduced.

Whether or not they try and find out why it happens seems to depend on your local health authority. Here for example they investigate after 2 episodes (chest X-ray, blood tests etc) but other MNers (St George I think?) have had it endless times but their hospital doesn't refer for tests.

It can be linked to auto-immune conditions.

HTH -will come back to this thread later as I've got to go out in a bit

Sounds bad doesn't it

But by the time they were offering it I think I'd have let them dig it out with a rusty knife if it stopped it hurting.
I did have some anaesthetic drops before they did it though. Pain eased as soon as they'd treated it.

Ached a bit for a few days. But then felt a lot better. Just a bit odd with the dressing on my eye.

Yes I had anaesthetic drops first too-the injection is still not something I would want to repeat to be honest!

I think once you've had uveitis you learn to recognise it at the very first sign and it does not get to that stage again.

No, the whole experience is something that I wouldn't like to repeat. So far it's not happened again, fortunately. Although I have had a couple false alarms when my eye has ached and I've worried that it might be starting.

Much sympathy to those of you who have to go through it more than once or many times.

Well, am definately off to hospital in the morning then. I was thinking it was probably just an annoying condition like conjuctivitis, didnt realise it could get so bad.

I had it once. Also thought it was conjunctivitis but the doctor sent me to eye casualty. They dilated pupils and said uveitis and I had anti-inflammatories I think.

Have never had it since, touch wood. It was really painful.

One of the tests they'll do is likely to involve them putting some bright yellow dye in your eye so don't be alarmed if you get funny looks from people afterwards or find your tissue is bright yellow when you blow your nose .

How did you get on at the hospital today lubblyjubblies?

well, eye did feel slightly better this morning but DH pressured me to still go to hospital. They did they whole numbing drop, then a bright orange one?
Turns out I have a scratch on the cornea.
Have some drops to use but it should be better in a few days.
Must say was very relieved. Lord only knows how it happened.
Thanks for eceryones help with this though, x

Glad you went and got it sorted. Hope its better soon.

Its just not worth taking a risk with eyes