For the last few weeks, I’ve been suffering with really burning, itchy dry eyes. I’ve been using Systane eye drops but they give very short-lived relief. It seems to be worse when I’m indoors in over-heated places (not my own home) and I’m starting to wonder if MS has made me more sensitive to this. Do other people have this problem?
Hello Carol,
Dry eyes is a symptom of ms, I use Celluvisc, drops I get from my gp and they work a treat. Being in dry, humid places makes your eyes drier so when I’m in a centrally heated place I use the drops more often, being outside is much better. Hope this helps.
Janet
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Hi Caroline,
I’ve been having a conjunctivitis-like problem in my eye (but always the same eye) on-and-off for years. And it’s getting worse.
I’m suspicious it’s MS-related, as onset and progression seem to have paralleled the development of other symptoms,
However, unlike Janet’s, my doctor says it’s NOT a symptom of MS. Some other auto-immune conditions (I know lupus is one), but not MS. I’ve had complete rheumatology screening - twice - so if I had lupus (too), I assume they would have found it by now.
I’ve been repeatedly tested for infections - which came back clear. And was once referred to Opthalmology, where an exceptionally rude and unpleasant man insisted it was a rare manifestation of chlamydia (yep, the STD). He was so sure of his diagnosis that he put me on antibiotics for chlamydia BEFORE the results of the test came back. Well, guess what? I didn’t have chlamydia, and the antibiotics did diddly squat - proving yet again that it’s NOT an infection.
I don’t know what else to do. The GP doesn’t know, the optician doesn’t know, the hospital didn’t know.
When it gets very bad I’ve had to ask for steroid drops, which are very effective, but unfortunately not suitable for continued use.
Although it doesn’t affect my vision per se (so not optic neuritis), the eye is effectively useless at times, because I’m going around with it shut. It affects my confidence too, because it’s very noticeable there’s something wrong - even with concealer. A friend once thought a boyfriend hit me!
I also seem to think it’s worse indoors (including my own home), so have many times wondered if it’s “dry eye”, but have assumed not, as that should be a simple and easy one to pick up - if not by the GP, then certainly by an opthalmologist. So as none of them have ever mentioned it, I’ve always assumed it can’t be that.
My mum says my dad, who didn’t have MS, used to get something similar (always the same eye), but his was only during the hayfever season.
Tina
Thanks both Tina and Janet for your replies. I think I’m at the stage where I need to go and see my opthalmologist again and see what he says. I’m just a bit worried that it is a sign of the MS flaring up again as for the last 2 years I haven’t really had anything that I couldn’t cope with on my own. I tried to send you both private messages in reply but the link wouldn’t work! Anyway thanks for your comments - keep well and happy 
Hi Caroline,
Tina could well be right as there are many reasons as to why your eye would be as it is. I also have Lupus but was always led to believe dry eyes occurred because of the ms. Having said that it could be as Tina said it could be a sign of an allergy, i.e. hay fever, but surely not this time of year. Please do get it checked out and let us know how you get on. When you tried to send us private messages did you click on the send private message? I never send a private message that way, I go back to Everyday Living page and on the right hand side there is two signs one saying send message and one saying messages. Give it a go and see if it works for you. Good luck.
Janet
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Are you taking Solifenacin as that dries your mouth and nose,could it also dry eyes?
Pip
Ine had a very dry eye over the last few weeks which I wpas putting in some drops I bought at the,pharmacy for dry eyes, I didn’t really think to associate it with ms however now that I think about it, it was happening at the same time as I was experiencing dizziness and not feeling too good in myself generally, I’m awaiting an appointment with neuro and I will ask if the eye dryness is linked with the ms. Thanks.