Recurrent Corneal Erosion

txsongman

Hi RCE,

You're definitely not alone with this suffering. Do you have blurry vision as well? My erosion caused so much vision distortions especially at night. I read your other post. One thing that you might be doing wrong is using two much Muro. Try squeezing about a half an inch, then close your eye, and sleep for a full 8 hours.


I'm still doing well with my condition. My doctor last said the cells were binding together. I haven't had an attack since the procedure. Also, my vision appears to be back to 20/20. I have been a bit depressed though because I see ghost images around white lights especially at night almost so bad that I couldn't watch TV. However, this distortion seems to be gradually improving so I think it may have been there all along. My eyes have been feeling gritty and dry, but maybe that's just the weather.

My eye doctor did use the diamond burr and stormal puncture. It's not as scary as it sounds, and it took like 10 minutes tops. The other treatment option for you is to wear a contact bandage lens which holds the cells in place. My eye did not respond well to this, and it caused nonstop pain, but it does work for some people. Hope this helps.

EyeSore

I have had success so far with a clear "therapuetic" contact lense. I highly recommend it - though I have only been dealing with this for a matter of weeks, much less time than some of the posters here.

Suffering w/RCE

The contact lens bandage did not work for me. The abrasion still ripped open at night, although I don't know how. If the bandage forms a barrier between the eye and the eyelid, you would think it would be impossible for the eyelid to stick and rip it open. But that's what happened.

I'm so glad to hear that the stromal puncture worked for someone. Your abrasion must not have been close to the pupil. The doc told me that the procedure they want to do on me - debridement with diamond burr - is only 85% effective. For the other 15%, it can actually make the situation worse because it can give you blurry vision along with continued pain. I'm very afraid to get this done. I'm still trying to find a way to get through the night without the pain, but it's looking pretty hopeless.

txsongman

Bad news for me. Yesterday, I started having stabbing eye pain in the erosion eye which did remind me of the erosion type pain. I looked in the mirror, and sure enough, my eyes had that glazy look.

I was hoping, maybe, there was some other cause besides erosion. However, last night, I woke up with that sharp stinging pain that I was definitely the erosion. It's back!! The pain is gone now, but my ghosting vision is twice as bad. Even looking at the window gives a ghosting image. I'm going to the doctor at 1pm today, but I feel hopeless like you. What can he do for me at this point? I may be worse off than before because I dont remember having the ghosting vision before the procedure. I just never would have dreamed this thing could happen. If they can fix eyes with Lasik in this day and age, surely they can stop eye pain. I dont think they realize how devastating and miserable this problem is.

squirrel2349

"txsongman", I feel so bad for you, getting the erosions back and so soon after your puncture procedure. Let me know how you make out at your doctor's appointment. It is hard to believe that with all the advances in medical science that someone can't come up with a solution for all of us (or is this thing so new that no one has done any medical research on it). I was actually thinking of going ahead with the stromal puncture, but now I will certainly have to reconsider. Meanwhile, I'll just keep using "tons" of the Muro and hope for a cure.

"suffering w/RCE", you may want to try wearing one of those silk eye masks when you go to bed. I have been wearing one and although the erosions haven't disappeared, they seem to be less frequent. The eye mask helps to keep the eye shut, thereby preventing it from blinking and wearing away the ointment, and also tends to keep the eye warm & moist. I too, have been using the Muro every time I awaken during the night, which is every couple of hours.

txsongman

Well I'm back from the doc. Kinda bad news and good news. The good news is that he didnt say I had any permanent scarring or permanent vision damage. He said the ghosting vision should go away. He said that I definitely had an erosion attack, and it had already healed over. THis one is dead center in my visual axis which is causing the bad vision. The bad news is that the stromal procedure does not guarantee that you won't have attacks again. He said it was normal to keep having attacks because the cells are constantly in motion, and can fall off. Basically, I just have to grin and bear it going back on the muro 128 every night. I guess that's not too bad if it's small attacks like this one that lasts only an hour. He said that he had to do the agressive treatment because my erosion was so bad that it was hurting nonstop for days.

squirrel2349

txsongman, I'm glad your doctor said there shouldn't be any permanent vision damage. That is the most important thing; no matter how bad the erosions can be, losing vision is still worse. It is really a scary thought that my doctor would recommend stromal puncture when apparently there is a good chance that the erosions will still keep happening. Sounds like we're stuck with this "disability"!