Corneal Nerve Damage

by Anonymous
(Boston)

I posted about this, but I don't actually know where it is, so I will write again. I have had tremendous difficulty with my right eye since my cataract surgery in October of 2014 in Boston and would not have the other eye done, nor will I ever, because I was in so much pain. I have been to no fewer than eight doctors, some by referral, because a doctor couldn't find anything wrong with me, and some because I have been determined to find the problem from which I am suffering.

I have been diagnosed by several of the doctors as having dry eye, but no one did anything for me, other than telling me to use preservative-free tears and giving me a few other directives then dismissing me with no follow up visit. One even went as far as wanting to know what my "underlying problem" was, because no one could find anything wrong. I finally saw a doctor in Baltimore. He prescribed Restasis and Azisite, which seemed to help a little, but still no real relief.

Seven months later I am still in agony. The pain has affected my outlook on everything. I have been getting depressed and had almost given up hope, when I decided to call one more doctor. This doctor did not do anything for me directly, other than to say I did have dry eye, but she referred me to another doctor in Boston who, with a rare machine that he has, diagnosed corneal nerve damage. When he showed me what my normal eye looked like compared with my damaged eye, I couldn't believe what I saw. The lines looked like lightning strikes, all jagged and disconnected.

He is treating me for the nerve damage with the hope that they will eventually heal. I want people who have made entries on this page complaining of chronic eye pain and the constant feeling of having something in your eye, together with aching and occasional stabbing pain, and who say their doctors don't do anything, to not give up. Keep going until you find the right doctor. It's taken me almost a year and a half, but I am hopeful that this will finally be the correct diagnosis. If not, I will move on, but I will not take no for an answer.