Severe eye irritation from diving--related to ear infection?

[jellyfish2]

Maybe the #100 sunblock wasn't such a good idea. I had to keep my hand over my eye as a de facto eye patch for several hours.

 

[tc]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Moved to Diving Medicine, maybe some of the docs can chime in.

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[diver 85]

I did not receive your PM and would like to see it. Would you mind resending? The resort doc was recommending a hospital visit at the time--it was that serious.

Sent it, don't know why you didn't get it....So, I'll copy & paste it here.......

"Eye problem......

Go get it checked at an eye doctor's office.....NO ONE here can make a Dx over the internet........

I just tried & couldn't get my slit lamp 'on line'......Seriously, what anyone will tell you in later posts will be BS as far as accurately Dx'ing your condition...... "

ALSO, look directly above(I JUST 1 minute ago saw it)--@ what DAN has to say about 'problems'...I'll go ahead & copy & paste it, too(but look above @ top of this page)..

"Neither ScubaBoard's staff nor its members are able to provide accurate medical diagnosis over the internet. If you think you might be injured or have suffered any symptoms of DCS, you need to be evaluated by a doctor immediately. Please seek medical attention or call the Divers Alert Network (DAN) at 1-800-446-2671. For the international DAN telephone numbers, click here."​

---------- Post added April 12th, 2014 at 05:57 AM ----------

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Moved to Diving Medicine, maybe some of the docs can chime in.

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LOL, he's been told enough, move on to something more important......

 

[uncfnp]

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Question: Would the eye problem be related to the ear problem? If not, what else could have caused this? I never want to be in that kind of avoidable pain again, so I am pretty concerned.

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

First of all I'm glad to hear that the eye issue has resolved.

Second, the eye and ear symptoms are almost certainly unrelated. Since the eye problem has resolved, finding the exact cause may be difficult but from your discription I think the others are correct that this was some type of eye irritation and quite possibly what amounts to a chemical conjunctivitis from the sunblock. Did the resort doctor use a stain to check the eye? Some abrasions are large enough to be seen without stain but often it takes a dye (fluorescein) and a certain light to show a corneal abrasion.

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Or you could have scratched your cornea sometime before entering the water and combination of sea water and suntan lotion increased the irritation. I'm surprised the doctor didn't give you an eye patch.

Chilly, eye patches are no longer routinely used for corneal abrasions.

 

[diver 85]

First of all I'm glad to hear that the eye issue has resolved.

Second, the eye and ear symptoms are almost certainly unrelated. Since the eye problem has resolved, finding the exact cause may be difficult but from your discription I think the others are correct that this was some type of eye irritation and quite possibly what amounts to a chemical conjunctivitis from the sunblock. Did the resort doctor use a stain to check the eye? Some abrasions are large enough to be seen without stain but often it takes a dye (fluorescein) and a certain light to show a corneal abrasion.

Chilly, eye patches are no longer routinely used for corneal abrasions.

Kinda of old school there...ie the patching.......

 

[chillyinCanada]

old fashioned, eh?

Thanks for the info. If a corneal scratch comes up again in my real life, I'll already understand why there's no patch involved.

Quick question, why wouldn't it be easier for the patient to wear an eye patch than to be walking around holding it with his hand?

 

[uncfnp]

Quick question, why wouldn't it be easier for the patient to wear an eye patch than to be walking around holding it with his hand?

Chilly

This is an except from an American Family Physician article...

"EYE PATCHING
Eye patching is no longer recommended for corneal abrasions. A meta-analysis of five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) failed to reveal an increase in healing rate or improvement on a pain scale. Two subsequent RCTs (one in children, one in adults) reported similar results. In the past, patching was thought to reduce pain by reducing blinking and decreasing eyelid-induced trauma to the damaged cornea. However, the patch itself was the main cause of pain in 48 percent of patients. Children with patches had greater difficulty walking than those without patches. Furthermore, patching can result in decreased oxygen delivery, increased moisture, and a higher chance of infection. Thus, patching may actually retard the healing process."

For most of the patients I see with abrasions, it seems that bright light is the greater irritant than blinking. These patients often come into the office in dark sunglasses. Hopefully when they leave the office, the pain issue is controlled well enough that the glasses are sufficient and they don't feel the need to hold hand to eye all day!

 

[chillyinCanada]

Too bad OP didn't see you instead of hotel doctor. or perhaps he just needed a better pair of sunglasses.

 

[uncfnp]

Too bad OP didn't see you instead of hotel doctor. or perhaps he just needed a better pair of sunglasses.

I would love to have been available at the resort for consultation! Assuming of course that free lodging and dives are part of the package.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Fortunately for follow-up, the OP has the best International Hospital & Clinic in SE Asia -and probably worldwide- right there over in Bangkok Thailand.

Bumrungrad International Hospital | Bangkok Thailand - Medical Centers

(You know what to do now: Go get a definitive Dx & Tx if this happens again)