Do you have recurrent erosion syndrome of the cornea?
Do you get sharp stabbing pains in the eye either in the middle of the night or in the morning when you wake up?
Do you wake up in the morning with the sensation that your eyes are so dry that the eyelid is stuck to the eyeball?
Does this pain hurt so bad that it prevents you from going to work?
Do these sensations repeativity happen over and over again?
These symptoms are common in patients with recurrent erosion syndrome of the cornea. Typically, in addition to the complaints above, patient’s with this problem have had a previous corneal abrasion and it seems to keep coming back. What is actually happening is that the cornea tends to swell slightly at night when our eyes are closed for a long time. After a previous injury, or in combination with a condition called anterior membrane dystrophy or map, dot, fingerprint dystrophy, the corneal surface (epithelium) slides.
This looseness and movement of the epithelial layer of the cornea causes the sharp stabbing pain. Using over-the-counter hypertonic salt ointment at night and artificial tears during the day can provide significant relief. However, in some cases a very simple procedure can be performed in the office to permanently reduce or eliminate the recurrent pain. If you’re having these symptoms, come in for an evaluation and I’ll be happy to help.