headaches

[jay9386]

Hi guys, I'm quite new to this forum. I'm 22 years old and just started working at an accountancy firm in London. I've had keratoconous for around 2 years now. Basically over the last 2-3 months I've been suffering headaches on the front of my head. They tend to be more on the left side of my forehead a couple inches above my eyebrows. I spoke to my GP who said my blood pressure was slightly high so gave me medication. This improved the pain but still get a dull pain which is there the whole day. The gp thinks it is a muscular related pain and said to do some acupuncture. I feel that this pain is due to my eyes. What do u guys think? I'm currently wearing specs, I haven't worn contacts before. I checked my eyes around 2 months ago and she did recommend contacts to me but i stuck with glasses for now and said I will see about the contacts in the future. Any advice on what I should do would be much appreciated. Thanks a lot

Jay

[dweezil1968]

squinting or straining your eyes in any way due to worsened vision will lead to headaches- i would suggest GP refers you to a specialist for KC tests etc- contact lens may now be a better option for you

good luck!

[melissa]

Headaches are one of those things that it is hard to ever know what causes them... however I agree that eye strain will lead to headaches and would suggest that you get the best correction possible for your eyes. Many KC'ers prefer to make do with less vision and less hassle, but if it is causing headaches I would suggst that you perhaps reconsider all the lens options- I would expect that you would get much better vision that way. Ensure you find a contact lens practitioner with some experience in KC. the UK members will be able to help you with details.
Hope it improves

[Andrew MacLean]

There would be no harm in going to the optometrist and asking about contact lenses for keratoconus.

Be aware that not all high street optometrists are adept at fitting contact lenses to keratoconic eyes. There is a bit of an art to the process, so you would do well to go either to your hospital contact lens clinic or, if the hospital does not have one, to an optometrist that your ophthalmologist recommends.

Make sure that you do not pay the full price; contact lenses for KC are supported by the NHS and should cost only around £50 each.

All the best

Andrew

[jay9386]

thanks for the excellent replies guys. Im still not completely sure whether it is because of the keratoconos or stresses at work which is causing these headaches. The headache starts in the morning till i sleep at night. sometimes it can be on the right side of my head too but more on the left. Its strange because as you guys said squinting increases the strain on your eyes but i feel that i open my eyes wider to see better..

I work on oxford street in London and was wondering whether the boots there will have these special lenses? Also are these lenses really uncomfortable? Thanks in advance guys.

Jay

[dweezil1968]

please see a KC specialist! via your GP!
lens are ok if they fit correctly- you need a specialist KC fitter.
opening your eyes to see better is like squinting- basically you are straining your eyes whatever you are doing!
there are options so do get checked out

[Andrew MacLean]

I agree entirely with dweezil1968. Do not take chances with your keratoconus.

As you know that you have keratoconus, you must at some time have consulted an eye doctor (ophthalmologist). go back to the clinic and explain that you are having headaches.

If you are to have contact lenses your ophthalmologist will refer you to either a hospital optometrist or someone in the high street who is expert in dealing with keratoconus.

Andrew

[rosemary johnson]

I agree with the other posters about getting checked out.
As you are working in Central London, why not ask if you can be referred to Moorfields? - may involve a bit of waiting at times (!) but they have the medics and the contact lens bods in the same place.
Is it possible that one eye is changing its visual accuity (ie how sharply you can see) more than the other, and the headaches come from your brain having trouble reconciling the two different images?
Of course, it may be right that the headaches also relate to general stress at work. Please do try to make sure you get rest periods or at least changes in activity - that is, don't peer at computer screens all day long, but try to alternate computer work with other things.
Try to learn about relaxation techniques, try some exercises or an Indian Head Massage - or try out where to massage your head or neck while you sit and stare into space for a few minutes.
Good luck - headaches are horrible.
Rosemary

[jay9386]

hey guys thanks a lot for the advise. Rosemary you are right! my left eye is much weaker than the right. When I got my eyes checked. The number on my left is -2.75 and the right was -0.7 only. Could this cause headaches as well? Surely the headache must be to do with my eyes because I am not constantly stressed at work like right now it is very quiet at work. What do u guys think? Thanks

Jay

[rosemary johnson]

Hi Jay,
We are all different, and can get headaches for different reasons; I Am Not A Doctor; the value of you house can occasionally fo up as well as down, etc etc.
Having said all that..... I'd have thought it was quite possible you could be getting headaches because your brain is struggling to cope with the image from one eye being much blurrier than from the other.
How to deal with it? - first option I'd suggest to to go and see your optom. again and see if the correction to your weaker eye can be improved.
Alternatively, could you try giving your brain a bit of a break from time to time by going one-eyed? - either by shutting one, or with a Pudsey-style piratical bandana (!) or maybe just removing the contact lens will be enough.
Obviously (!) don't tyr this driving, as your ability to judge distances won't be what you expect it to be.
Good luck - and I@m not one to advise really, having had no lenses in all day due to headaches. My remedy? - ibuprofen; go and lie down for a little while, fall asleep and miss the meeting I was supposed to be going to this evening. Oops.
Rosemary