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My mother has severe pain, hotness, irritation, and tiredness in both eyes. Please help.

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The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

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Published At May 30, 2021
Reviewed AtAugust 9, 2023

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

My mother will be 71 years old in the next four months. She is about 60 inches tall and weighs about 132.28 pounds. She suffered from an ischemic stroke four years ago. Currently, she has the following disturbing health conditions: -severe eye pain with gritty feeling in her eyes, forgetfulness, tiredness, and dizziness intermittently, numbness and spiky sensations on the lower legs and arm, distorted speech with unusual eye tears, high blood pressure of 152/102 mm Hg, high blood sugar (FBS-154 gm/dl, and intermittent malarial fever. She was given a tablet of Pregabalin 75 mg, Aspirin 75 mg, and Atorvastatin 80 mg late last year and stopped. She is currently on tablet Amlodipine 5 mg, Ramipril 5 mg, Metformin, vitamins, minerals, and food supplements. She is tired of being on medication for over four years. Her primary complaint is severe pain in her eyes with irregular eye tears and pain or numbness in her lower arm and leg regions. I have attached a copy of her CT scan last year for your review. Current eye complaints include severe pain, hotness, irritation, tiredness while viewing television or reading for over four hours in both eyes, and the tendency to shed tears while talking or laughing heavily. Her eye pressure last month was 11 mm Hg. She has been taking ophthalmic and allergen eye drops. Can you please advise me? Your guidance and prescription will be highly appreciated.

Thanks.

Answered by Dr. Shachi Dwivedi

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Kindly upload a picture of both her eyes. And when she sleeps, do her eyes close entirely or remain slightly open? I want these details for proper treatment.

I hope this information will help you.

Thanks.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

Thank you.

I have attached the pictures. Obviously, from the image, her eyes are completely closed while sleeping, and she is expecting your response as soon as possible.

Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Shachi Dwivedi

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

As per your symptoms, she has a very severe dry eye disease. I wanted a picture with her eyes open to see if the cornea is healthy. I suggest you warm compresses. Take a cotton napkin, warm it with an iron, and gently do compression over the lids. Gently stroke the upper lid from above downwards and the lower lid from below upwards four to five times daily. I suggest eye drops Fluorometholone three times a day. Eye drop Carboxymethylcellulose 1 % six times a day. Eye ointment Hydrocortisone twice a day over lid margin. Eye ointment Genteal gel or Panthegel twice a day. Also, get her glass power checked. She should be using glasses at least for near vision at her age. That will reduce eye strain and pain as well.

I hope this information will help you.

Thanks.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

I have sent you two pictures, one with the eyes closed and the other with the eyes opened. Please check the two attachments. Regarding your prescription, should I simultaneously apply the Genteal gel and Hydrocortisone ointment on the eyelid margin? Can I use the two eyedrops at the same time on the eyes?

Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Shachi Dwivedi

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

I saw the pictures attached (the attachment was removed to protect the patient's identity). Her cornea seems fine. Hydrocortisone needs to be applied on the margin. You should apply Genteal gel (Carboxymethylcellulose) inside the eyelids. Pull the lower lid and then apply. You can use both eyedrops at the same time.

I hope this information will help you.

Thanks.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

You are amazingly good.

Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Shachi Dwivedi

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

That is sweet of you to take care of your mom. Dry eyes can be very distressing for the patient. Kindly get back to me after two weeks with the response to the treatment. I have not given any tablets on purpose as she is already on so many medications. However, we will see if we need them in the future as per her response to treatment.

I hope this information will help you.

Thanks.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

I will revert to you after two weeks.

Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Shachi Dwivedi

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

I will be happy to help you.

Thanks.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

Thanks for the reply.

For over a month, my mother has been experiencing severe pains in both eyes, especially in the morning after waking up from sleep. She is also having a gritty sensation in both eyes. The itching of both eyes has increased, and the itching has recently extended to the nose, ear, and mouth area. She is still on her blood pressure medication (Ramipril, Amlodipine) and Diabetes (Glimepiride, Metformin) medications and a couple of supplements for effective diagnosis.

Thanks.

Answered by Dr. Shachi Dwivedi

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

You should visit an ophthalmologist and have a chamber consultation. She should be evaluated for glaucoma. Any NVI (neovascularization of the iris) and even refraction are necessary. All these things require a slit lamp examination. Any intervention can be done post a detailed evaluation only.

I hope this information will help you.

Thanks.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Shachi Dwivedi
Dr. Shachi Dwivedi

Ophthalmology (Eye Care)

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