UK Keratoconus Self-Help and Support Association

Just a quick query, I have been diagnosed with dry eye previously but was wondering if the following is a symptom of dry eye as it is a new symptom to me;

after coming out of the office in bright sunlight, even with sunglasses on my eyes start to sting and then stream (not a good look after going out at a lunchtime from work). the feeling is very much like when i have been cutting up onions.

This has also happened when i have moved from my kitchen to my living room when the sun is in the front room.

It's an odd thing, but streaming eyes are a symptom of 'dry eye'. I think that this is because the cause of 'dry eye' is the collapse of the lacrimal layer so that the lipids and the mucoid layers come together. The mucoid layer seems to contain the cells that make the tear form a film over the eye, but the lipids are supposed to protect the lacrimal layer from evaporating.

The result is that the lcarimal layer streams out of your eye and the function of the mucoid layer is compromised by the lipids. I manage to overcome this effect by drenching my eye with Clinitas Soothe. Straight from the fridge it is better than a good old fashioned eye rub

That said, if you are concerned you should go to your doctor or eye care specialist.

Andrew

Liz,

I have a dry eye problem as well.

IMHO there is a connection with dry eye and keractoconus. Dry eye comes first and then the KC follows - my opinion based on the evidence/my experience. What causes you to rub your eyes? Discomfort because your eyes are dry and the natural human reaction kicks in to rub your eyes.

There is alot of information (old threads) on here on the subject and I would suggest that you read all of them.

Good quality lubricatioon for the eye is essential for good vision and a comfortable fit with RGP contact lenses. To attempt to fit contact lenses first before resolving the dry eye problem is imo crazy and definitely not in the best interests of the person with the KC. Could it aggravate the KC and cause further progression/damage/scarring. Common sense says imo that it will.

An option you could consider is having your tear ducts plugged or using artificial lubrication by putting drops in your eyes.

Hope this helps you find a solution.

Steve

Hi.
Never been troubled by dry eye (except when on glaucoma drops, that's another story) but I am very sensitive to bright lights, and even have to wear the dar glasses sitting in my front room on very sunny days.
Stinging like cutting up omions from bright light is a new one to me, though. It normally feels to me more light my retina is burning up.
What does give me the stinging feeling, and then watery eyes, is hot sunny days and working hard - for example, working around stables, or gardening, or that lovely job trundling round the horses' field with wheelbarrow and shovel (!!!).
And I get all hot and sweaty,and the sweat runs down my forehead and gets into my eyes, and the salt inthe sweat stings.
SOunds a bit extreme for just walking out of the office to go to lunch, though - uness your office life is more exciting than mine!
Hope yougt it sussed out
Rosemary

Thanx for sharing your experience Rosemary. Bona fide KC experience/information sharing is our best chance of discovering the cause of KC. T'internet provides us with a huge opportunity.

"And I get all hot and sweaty,and the sweat runs down my forehead and gets into my eyes, and the salt in the sweat stings"

Thats interesting Rosemary, because it takes me back to my early 20`s, happy days a loooooooooooong time ago now, when my KC was diagnosed in my final year at University.

I was a very active sportsman, particularly soccer. The peak of my sports activity was 18-21 and I used to sweat alot and yes it ran in my eyes, then the eye rubbing, then the red eyes. It was particularly bad in the summer months. another effect was in my scalp it beacame scaled with dry skin/dandruff and I was prescribed various medical shampoos which were applied during showers and yes inevitably this got in eyes.

Could the chemicals in the sweat and/or the shampoos be the cause of the KC?

Just another qestion are there any cases were people are born with KC?

I would like to see some top quality medical reserach done in this area. Not enough resources are put into identifying the cause. All the medical establishment appear to do is treat the effect and based on my own personal experience, its a crisis management/reactive system of doing the minimum with very limited resources. We deserve better. Rant over!

Steven

You pose interesting questions, but I am afraid that they are not easy to answer.

For sure Keratoconus is endemic to humanity; and corneal ectasia is known in many mammals. It is hard to see how shampoo could be the cause, but it is not hard to see how some shampoos could aggravate a condition that is already present.

Some people think that we need to be born with a propensity to develop keratoconus; I am less sure.

Anyway, keep asking those questions. Potential Researchers may even be reading these strings and a line of enquiry could easily be provoked!

All the best

Andrew

I am yet to find a good article/information on the history of KC.

When was KC first diagnosed? History of KC treatment etc etc.

I have been reseraching this for some time now and there is very little information available. Can anyone help by providing sources of reference, etc that they havve come across.

It would be good to hear from others as well as the usual contributing KC experts on here.

Steve

DOubt if shampoo itself would be a cause, though the people who say eye-rubbing is bad for you may well pick up that if the shampoo stings, then you rub your eyes because of the stinging, that may be a factor, particularly if it happens regularly.
Unfortunately, I'm anything but fit and sporty - hence getting sohot and sweaty mucking out a stable!
When I'm actually riding, of course, I'm wearing my jockey helmet - and regular when I get off the horse and take the helmet off, find my hair is soaking wet and plastered down to my scalp, and/or stuck together in little spikes, and the foam padding inthe lining of the helmet is all soggy.
Most insalubrious items, riing helmets! Is it any wonder riding schools encourage everyone to get their own as soon as possible???!
I suppose advice to other sports peersons troblew ith sweat making the eyes sting is to wear those head bands, like John McEnroe.
As reagrds history: KC was the condition that led tothe invention of the first ever contact lenses, back in about 1880. They were what are now called scleral lenses, and were made of glass and very heavy. And totally non-air permeable, with little air holes drilled in them, so wearing times were low.
SOmeone once came to one of the London area KC group meetings at Moorfields who used to wear glass lenses - a good few years before he came tothe group meeting! He said they were heavy, but clearly thought the improvement in vision had been worthwhile. B then, he had perspex lenses like the rest of us at the time.
The first corneal transplants were invented for KC, IIRR - there was an article I read about that too, and I'm trying to remember where. Might even have been one fo the Moorfields newsletters or annual reports.
Can't remember where I first heard of CLs being invented for KC - might have been the article from a scientific enxyxlopedia my dad found when I was first diagnosed.
Good luck tracking down our history.
Have you heard of, or been to, the contact lens museum?
Rosemary