Left Eye Suddenly Feels Like Something's in it? GPC?

EyeCurious · #1 (**permalink**) 06-08-2011, 07:50 PM

Hi guys! First post here; sorry this is so long. Lately my eye has been feeling like there's something in it or scratching it a bit and I wanted to know why this is.

I wear contacts and just recently got new, trial ones in the same brand as I have been wearing for years without a problem (Acuvue Oasys.) The first day I put them in, I felt fine. When I went to take them out for the first time, I did have a bit of trouble getting them out because it seemed like they stuck to my eyes (I never have this problem, so this was unusual). I had to try several times to get them out and I'm worried I might have scratched the contact in the process. I'm questioning if the lenses are too big for my eyes. (I think this because I have had similar problems getting them out when I first got contact lenses EVER, and it turned out they were too large. When I got a smaller size, everything was fine. Also, I feel like the contacts look like they are a bit larger than my old prescription lenses because I can see more of them around my iris.) Other than that, nothing abnormal occurred.

The next day, I went to put my contacts in and accidentally dropped my left contact in the sink. This has happened to me before, so I rinsed them off with my contact solution (the same kind I have been using for years without a problem) as well as I could and put it in my eye. (I couldn't change the contact because these are a trial pair before I get my prescription updated). The contact felt a bit uncomfortable in my eye, but nothing severe and nothing that I haven't occasionally experienced before without it clearing up. That night I took them out without a problem (no longer sticking to my eye). Afterward, my eyes felt fine again.

About three or four hours later, out of nowhere, my left eye suddenly felt like something on the lower lid was scratching it when I moved my eyes. I looked at my eye in the mirror and did not see anything abnormal. My eye was not red or swollen or itching or anything and really didn't look different from my right eye, which was not bothering me at all. I went to sleep for the night and woke up today with my eye still slightly feeling like something is in it, but it is less bothersome than it was last night. It's not as scratchy and it is still not red.

My question is, does this sound like GPC or some other condition? I have an appointment with my eye doctor again soon because I'd like to change the size of my contacts and see if a new, clean lense would feel better. I'm considering having her check for GPC then (should I?), but I'm hoping that isn't the cause because I really like wearing contacts and don’t want to be limited to just glasses forever. I don't have eye allergies or anything else that would cause this feeling, so I'm not sure why it's feeling like this. I'm guessing that I might have scratched the left contact and that is causing this whole issue.

Also: I don't know if it matters, but I have astigmatism (which I believe is more severe in the left eye.) The lenses in question are soft lenses without the correction for astigmatism, and the brand is Acuvue Oasys.

Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated!

captainneo · #2 (**permalink**) 06-09-2011, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EyeCurious

Hi guys! First post here; sorry this is so long. Lately my eye has been feeling like there's something in it or scratching it a bit and I wanted to know why this is.

I wear contacts and just recently got new, trial ones in the same brand as I have been wearing for years without a problem (Acuvue Oasys.) The first day I put them in, I felt fine. When I went to take them out for the first time, I did have a bit of trouble getting them out because it seemed like they stuck to my eyes (I never have this problem, so this was unusual). I had to try several times to get them out and I'm worried I might have scratched the contact in the process. I'm questioning if the lenses are too big for my eyes. (I think this because I have had similar problems getting them out when I first got contact lenses EVER, and it turned out they were too large. When I got a smaller size, everything was fine. Also, I feel like the contacts look like they are a bit larger than my old prescription lenses because I can see more of them around my iris.) Other than that, nothing abnormal occurred.

The next day, I went to put my contacts in and accidentally dropped my left contact in the sink. This has happened to me before, so I rinsed them off with my contact solution (the same kind I have been using for years without a problem) as well as I could and put it in my eye. (I couldn't change the contact because these are a trial pair before I get my prescription updated). The contact felt a bit uncomfortable in my eye, but nothing severe and nothing that I haven't occasionally experienced before without it clearing up. That night I took them out without a problem (no longer sticking to my eye). Afterward, my eyes felt fine again.

About three or four hours later, out of nowhere, my left eye suddenly felt like something on the lower lid was scratching it when I moved my eyes. I looked at my eye in the mirror and did not see anything abnormal. My eye was not red or swollen or itching or anything and really didn't look different from my right eye, which was not bothering me at all. I went to sleep for the night and woke up today with my eye still slightly feeling like something is in it, but it is less bothersome than it was last night. It's not as scratchy and it is still not red.

My question is, does this sound like GPC or some other condition? I have an appointment with my eye doctor again soon because I'd like to change the size of my contacts and see if a new, clean lense would feel better. I'm considering having her check for GPC then (should I?), but I'm hoping that isn't the cause because I really like wearing contacts and don’t want to be limited to just glasses forever. I don't have eye allergies or anything else that would cause this feeling, so I'm not sure why it's feeling like this. I'm guessing that I might have scratched the left contact and that is causing this whole issue.

Also: I don't know if it matters, but I have astigmatism (which I believe is more severe in the left eye.) The lenses in question are soft lenses without the correction for astigmatism, and the brand is Acuvue Oasys.

Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated!

Here's something I found on eyecarecontacts.com, but first, a word from the lawyers:

The information contained herein is not intended as a substitute for medical advice and care from qualified, licensed health care providers. The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his or her health and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. The information is presented here to educate and inform and to guide you to an understanding of cause, prevention as well as treatment.

Okay, now that we got that overwith:

The inside of the eyelids and the sclera (the "white of the eye" ) are covered with a very thin tissue called the conjunctiva. In GPC, the membrane swells in what is called a papillary response. There is increased mucus production, irritation, itching, sometimes photophobia (light sensitivity) and decreased tolerance to contact lens wear. Soft lens wearers may find their lenses moving with the blinking of their eyelids, further irritating the eye and causing even more mucus secretions---creating a cycle of increasing severity of symptoms.

That doesn't sound like the symptoms you were describing. There was nothing about a "foreign body sensation."

I looked, but I didn't find anything that matched your symptoms exactly, but the closes thing I found was something about dry eye.

Feeling like there is something in your eye (foreign body sensation)
Scratchy, gritty eyes
Aching or sore eyes
Smarting or burning eyes
Watery eyes
Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
Eyes tire easily, particularly noticeable from reading, watching TV or using a computer
Contact lens discomfort or intolerance
Excessive mucus discharge
Eyes easily irritated by smoke, allergans, fragrances, etc.
Fluctuating vision
Blurred vision, particularly first thing in the morning, and/or late in the day
Eyelids "stick shut" at night
Eyelids feel "heavy"

That's the best lead I've got so far. Maybe you can ask your doctor about some eye drops.

PrincePlanet · #3 (**permalink**) 06-09-2011, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EyeCurious

Hi guys! First post here; sorry this is so long. Lately my eye has been feeling like there's something in it or scratching it a bit and I wanted to know why this is.

I wear contacts and just recently got new, trial ones in the same brand as I have been wearing for years without a problem (Acuvue Oasys.) The first day I put them in, I felt fine. When I went to take them out for the first time, I did have a bit of trouble getting them out because it seemed like they stuck to my eyes (I never have this problem, so this was unusual). I had to try several times to get them out and I'm worried I might have scratched the contact in the process. I'm questioning if the lenses are too big for my eyes. (I think this because I have had similar problems getting them out when I first got contact lenses EVER, and it turned out they were too large. When I got a smaller size, everything was fine. Also, I feel like the contacts look like they are a bit larger than my old prescription lenses because I can see more of them around my iris.) Other than that, nothing abnormal occurred.

The next day, I went to put my contacts in and accidentally dropped my left contact in the sink. This has happened to me before, so I rinsed them off with my contact solution (the same kind I have been using for years without a problem) as well as I could and put it in my eye. (I couldn't change the contact because these are a trial pair before I get my prescription updated). The contact felt a bit uncomfortable in my eye, but nothing severe and nothing that I haven't occasionally experienced before without it clearing up. That night I took them out without a problem (no longer sticking to my eye). Afterward, my eyes felt fine again.

About three or four hours later, out of nowhere, my left eye suddenly felt like something on the lower lid was scratching it when I moved my eyes. I looked at my eye in the mirror and did not see anything abnormal. My eye was not red or swollen or itching or anything and really didn't look different from my right eye, which was not bothering me at all. I went to sleep for the night and woke up today with my eye still slightly feeling like something is in it, but it is less bothersome than it was last night. It's not as scratchy and it is still not red.

My question is, does this sound like GPC or some other condition? I have an appointment with my eye doctor again soon because I'd like to change the size of my contacts and see if a new, clean lense would feel better. I'm considering having her check for GPC then (should I?), but I'm hoping that isn't the cause because I really like wearing contacts and don’t want to be limited to just glasses forever. I don't have eye allergies or anything else that would cause this feeling, so I'm not sure why it's feeling like this. I'm guessing that I might have scratched the left contact and that is causing this whole issue.

Also: I don't know if it matters, but I have astigmatism (which I believe is more severe in the left eye.) The lenses in question are soft lenses without the correction for astigmatism, and the brand is Acuvue Oasys.

Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated!

You've had prior experience with wearing contact lenses, so do you think that you might just have dry eyes as captaineo suggested? I can't come up with any better suggestions myself.