Ulcerated Cornea

[Jill Marie]

I have an Ulcerated Cornea and would appreciate hearing from anyone that has had one.  The eye doctor has me on antibiotic drops and ointment.  Just started using a steroid drop to help reduce the swelling.  Was wondering how long it takes to heal, internet says 2 to 3 weeks.  Thanks for any help you can give me.  Jill Marie

[saralynn143]

Oh, Jill Marie, I am so sorry. I have not had one so I don't know how long it takes to heal, but I will pray that it is fast.

Does this mean you can't wear your scleral lens while it heals?

Sara

[Jill Marie]

Thanks Sara!  You are right, no lens tell it heals.  My eye was feeling a lot better until today, thought perhaps I could get the lens back in a few days, not so sure now.  Will go to bed early tonight and hope that a good nights sleep will help.  I hope you never get one they are extremely painful.  That's it for me, computer and my eye aren't getting along!  Thanks again, Jill Marie

[nancyann]

aww Jill, so sorry to hear this.  do you use a 'moisture chamber' at night? I buy the NITEYE bubble bandage, using it for at least 6 years now. I was constantly lubricating my eye till the scleral lens. But at night I still need to lube up & use the NITEYE moisture chamber.  Hope it heals up quick for you.
Always good thoughts, Nancy
'

[Jill Marie]

Thanks Nancy,  I just use a regular patch at night, I bought a couple of the NITEYE bubble bandages just before I got the lens but never used them as my eye got so much better after the lens that I didn't need it.  Have thought about trying it the last couple of days.  Will also look into what Saralynn is using now, couldn't use the computer last night, feeling a bit better this evening so might check it out. 

Not sure if my eye is just over worked or the infection has gotten worse, will see the doctor Tuesday (monday if things don't improve) to see what is going on.  I WANT MY LENS BACK!!!   

Thanks again, Jill

[saralynn143]

Did the doctor give any indication what caused the ulcerated cornea, Jill?

[Jill Marie]

Saralynn, He's assuming that something got in under the lens and scratched it, then it became infected.  Makes me concerned about it possibly happening again.  Jill

[saralynn143]

It's also possible that it happened at night, Jill. Hope you are feeling better.

[saralynn143]

Jill Marie, how is it coming along?

[Jill Marie]

Hi Saralynn,

Saw the doctor yesterday, he said the cornea has healed and the infection has subsided.   Unfortunately because of the flare up last Friday he doesn't want me to put the lens in yet.  He wants to make sure there isn't any more flare ups first.  We're not sure but we think the flare up was because I wasn't getting enough rest.  My eye improved a lot after I took a couple of very long naps over the weekend.  I'm making sure I get more rest so I can put my lens back in after my appointment on Tuesday, it's been a very long and expensive month. 

I'm going with your idea that I scratched my eye at night, can't bear to think that the one thing that brought me so much relief caused me so much pain. 

Thanks so much for asking how I was doing.  Was going to post last night but I was busy play nurse as my husbands tire came off his bicycle riding home from work and he has massive road rash and abrasions. 

Thanks again, Jill Marie

[Jill Marie]

I finally got to put my lens back in yesterday for 2 hours, was suppose to do 4 hours today but cheated and did 5.  Saw the doctor that gave me the lens Wednesday, had to soak the lens in a special cleaning solution for 2 days before I could put it back in, by then my eye was really, really red.  Saw the doctor yesterday and she said my cornea wasn't as bad as it was in December when she got the lens for me but it was almost as bad.  She took a picture of my cornea with her phone and showed me the damage, will see how it looks in a couple of weeks.  She will be using what she has learned through my experience to help convince other eye doctors to use the lens to help so many others and to not wait so long to let them use the lens.  The eye doctor I was seeing for the ulcer was reluctant to have me use the lens, it was hard to get him to understand that my eye wouldn't get better tell I had the lens back in.  He said I couldn't have the lens tell my eye got better, he just didn't get that it wouldn't get better without it. 

Looking forward to wearing the lens for 6 hours tomorrow and that being the first day in over a month that I feel like my life will be back to normal again so I can enjoy the rest of the summer.  Once again I'm so thankful for this board, without it the pain would continue.  Thanks!  Jill Marie

[saralynn143]

Well, good for you Jill Marie. I've been wondering about how you are doing.

Seems like you could put medicated drops in a scleral lens to aid in healing too. Hope you are back to 100% soon.

Sara

[Jill Marie]

Sara, I'm finally back to 100% and really enjoying it!  Went on a mini vacation with my hubby last weekend for his 60th birthday. We went camping and hiking so I was really glad I had the lens back in full time, made life much easier!  Thankfully I no longer need this thread and hope I never need it again!  Thanks for your support! 

[saralynn143]

Yay!

[nancyann]

Hi Jill: I'm not on the forum so much anymore, just following this thread now - glad to hear you're back w/ the lens & your cornea is healed.
I told my doc I'm going to Italy & asked if I could wear the lens on the flight to Italy from NY - he said no - I could get an infection if I sleep w/ it in b/c my eyelid would cover it & it's a breading ground for bacteria - I'd end up w/ a corneal infection, so I'll wear my NITEYE bubble on the plane to Italy.
Again, so glad you're eye is healed & all is well.  There's so much involved w/ our eyes...