Spasm of accommodation only when eyes are closing at night

[cmroesch]

For about the last 5 years, since the birth of my last child by c-section and the start of my fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, sometimes when I lie in bed at night and close my eyes, they start to cross.  I feel this pain in my eyes and when I open them, they are crossed as if trying to focus on the end of my nose.  Opening my eyes usually helps but sometimes it's so uncomfortable the only thing I can do is look side to side and then they go back to normal.  Sometimes this can last as long as 5-30 minutes. I just close my eyes and keep moving them back and forth every 10 seconds or so.  What could be the cause of this and should I be concerned?  Both my doctor and my eye doctor said they've never heard of this before and laughed it off.  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

You might have spasm of accommodation or uncorrected latent hyperopia. I would suggest you try and arrange to see a neuro-ophthalmologist. If you live in USA find one near you t www.geteyesmart.org
JCH MD

[cmroesch]

Thank you very much for your quick response.  I do live in the US.  Thank you for the list.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

best of luck  JCH MD

[cmroesch]

I was reading a little bit more into this.  I am very near sighted and have had a -3.25 contact prescription for about 15 years.  I also suffer from severe dry eye.  Sometimes it feels like my eyeballs are swollen and the eye doctor did see slight bulging, but didn't go into it further.  Does this affect what I should be talking to the neuro-ophthalmologist about?

Also, I was prescribed cyclobenzaprine for muscle stiffness and spasms. Do you think it would help to take one before bed?

I appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.

[cmroesch]

I am 38 years old.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I would suggest you see a neuro-ophthalmologist and that you not wear your contacts for 2-3 days before seeing the Eye MD.  Ask that a "post cycloplegic refraction be done"  

It could be that the true amount of myopia you have is -2.25  the to see clear you would be doing an extra 1 diopter of focusing (to reduce your -3.25 to the needed -2.25  that could cause spasm of accommodation.

To determine this you would need to go without contacts for several days and have the refraction (glasses test) done after using a drop like cyclogel or 3 sets of mydryicil  to relax your focus muscle (ciliary body)

JH MD

[cmroesch]

Ok, I will print this out and take it with me. Thank you very much Dr. Hagan.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Let us know how things turn out
JCHMD