eye ulcer - what the heck is that?

[hockeymom7691]

Ok, I went back to work on Thursday after being off for two weeks with my gall bladder surgery. My one eye was a little red and watery (I figured allergies). Today I go in and by 10:30 am it's so sore I can't stand it. Everyone was all worried that it was pink eye so I went down to our nurse. She ends up sending me to the emergency room and after sitting there for 2 hours, they tell me I have an ulcer on my eye and gave me antibiotic drops.

What is an eye ulcer? Is it just an abrasion on the eye or what??
I know I should have asked more questions at the ER, but I was so tired and my eyes were just burning, I just wanted to get out of there!!

The doctor also told me to follow up with an eye specialist so I have an appointment on Monday.

Of course all of the pain and watering hasn't stopped me from spending the evening on the computer!

 

[DocRafiki]

it's an abrasion of the cornea, no biggie.

 

[Jolie C]

I've never had them, but my dog had them in both eyes a couple of months ago. She got them because she got sick and became dehydrated and then pawed at her eyes. I think the vet said something about it being scratches or "pitting" on the cornea. Sorry I'm not more help!

 

[CamColt]

I had one once. To me it seemed similar to just a regular eye infection...but the word "ulcer" does make it sound a little scarier, doesnt it?
Hope its cleared up for you soon!

 

[hockeymom7691]

Thanks for the info!! It's feeling a little better today.

Why didn't they just say eye infection or abrasion at the ER instead of making it sound awful by using the word "ulcer"?

 

[palmtreegirl]

I've had one. The doctor told me it was probably caused by something tiny getting under my contact lens and rubbing my cornea, causing it little ulcer.

It felt better pretty fast with the drops but I couldn't wear my contacts for 2 weeks, that part drove me nuts!

 

[Traveliz]

Well no mean to scare you BUT an eye ulcer can INDEED be a biggie....just ask my daughter who had a corneal eye transplant this past year due to an ulcer on her eye.

She went to the prompt care in the hospital emergency room and was diagnosed with pink eye and told to go to her doctor a week later if it wasn't better...well a couple of days later it wasn't better and we took her to her doctor who promptly walked her into an opthamologists office in the same building where he was calm and thorough but very concerned. He was afraid she might even lose her eye. She was put on drops and came back the next day where he said she wouldn't lose her eye but maybe her vision. Indeed her vision never returned to what we call usable vision and she had a corneal transplant this past summer. We have spent days, weeks and months taking care of this corneal ulcer. Today with glasses her vision is 20/20 .
So please please if your vision is cloudy and doesn't improve continue to check into it.

 

[DocRafiki]

Originally posted by hockeymom7691
Thanks for the info!! It's feeling a little better today.

Why didn't they just say eye infection or abrasion at the ER instead of making it sound awful by using the word "ulcer"?

Well technically an ulcer can be deeper than an abrasion. You can have superficial or deep ulcers, but abrasions by definition are superficial. As with everything else, it's not exactly the same thing, but that's an easy way to explain it to lay people without going into a histology lesson. Superficial ulcer pretty much = abrasion = superficial erosion.

And then calling it an eye infection would just be wrong. I mean, you can have infected ulcers, but the ulcer is the primary lesion and the infection is secondary. "Eye infection" would make me think it were just conjunctivitis.

Of course anything can have complications like Traveliz experienced. A vast majority of superficial ulcers aren't infected and heal within 3 days.

 

[ZachnElli]

I had an eye ulcer when I was 16 and it was a biggie. It hurt like heck! I had to fight it off for a few weeks. I'm glad you got yours taken care of!

 

[CamColt]

Originally posted by DocRafiki

And then calling it an eye infection would just be wrong. I mean, you can have infected ulcers, but the ulcer is the primary lesion and the infection is secondary. "Eye infection" would make me think it were just conjunctivitis.

Just wanted to clarify I did not call it an eye infection. I noted that to me it seemed similar to an eye infection. Ive had a bunch of those and 1 ulcer and honestly to me, there was no difference. Im sure what the doctor is seeing, and ultimately diagnosing it, is in fact very different. But what I felt and the treatment I was given(drops & no contacts) was the same for both things.

 

[nativetxn]

This sounds very painful. Sorry to hear you having to deal with it

 

[DocRafiki]

Originally posted by CamColt
Just wanted to clarify I did not call it an eye infection. I noted that to me it seemed similar to an eye infection. Ive had a bunch of those and 1 ulcer and honestly to me, there was no difference. Im sure what the doctor is seeing, and ultimately diagnosing it, is in fact very different. But what I felt and the treatment I was given(drops & no contacts) was the same for both things.

oh yeah, I just mentioned "eye infection" because she asked why they didn't call it an eye infection or abrasion instead of an ulcer, since ulcer sounded more scary.

 

[CarolA]

I have had this.
Do EXACTLY what they tell you to do.

If left untreated this can result in MAJOR problems with your cornea. Travelliz is right. I was lucky, mine was also misdiagnosed at a walk in clinic as pink eye. I worked with some nurses at the time and they decided the clinic was wrong and made me go to the eye doctor. I did not have lasting damage, but it is possible.

 

[hockeymom7691]

Thanks for the additional info from Traveliz, CarolA, Doc and the rest of you! I'm definitely going to keep my appointment with the specialist for Monday (I actually thought about canceling it).

I would rather be safe than sorry and since it's bothering me again after using the drops yesterday and today..................

 

[Tinkerbelle739]

I just had this in March and it took about 10 days to recover. I also thought it was allergies and then DH saw a "bump" on my eye! Dr. told me that it was from rubbing dry eyes. Mine luckily was just a surface injury. I could not stand the watering eyes and I wanted to just scratch my eye out!!

Good luck and keep that appointment!

 

[Traveliz]

So glad to hear you are keeping your appointment and let us know how it turns out.

Its something I had never heard of and now unfortunately I know more about it than I would ever care to.

On the bright side we are celebrating a year since my daughter's transplant in June and going to Disney and the Poly and enjoying a concierge room so she can soak in that view of the Castle and appreciate it in a manner that she would have never had before!

 

[Microcell]

I work for an Ophthomologist- keep that appointment! My boss/doctor diagonsed an ulcer in my daughter's eye and explained that it is much like a stomach ulcer in that it is more of the eroding type of abrasion, as opposed to a cut on the eye. You can also get relieving drops from a doc who knows what they are doing. They let OD"s use the title of Doctor, but they do not have an MD and that equals 8 years less schooling. Always go to an ophthomologist!