eye injury from routine exam

[abbygal]

One year ago, I had my biannual eye exam which included the 'air puff' test measuring pressure on the eyeball.  The person doing the test got quite annoyed because I kept blinking, so performed this test upwards of 9 times, including asking me to 'hold' my eye open with my fingers (which didn't help either)  ...to make a long story short...I was immediately complaining of eye pain which increased in severity for several days until I had to go to an emergency room to get eye drops for relief.  I was referred to an eye surgeon, who said I had inflamation of the iris...and after 6 weeks of treatment, it finally felt better.  I was in contact with the eye clinic where the test was performed and they said that they have 'never heard of anyone' who has had a problem with that test...and said they even went online searching to see if anyone else had reported it.  I have no doubt this over testing caused my problem... I had no problems at all, no pain at all prior to having this test done repeatedly, I believe, by an incompetent staff member of the clinic.  My concern is that someone else may go through the same horrible experience that I did... and if there is no record of this occuring, then what about my experience being recorded somewhere.  It makes me wonder if others have had similar experiences and because it isn't reported, no alarm bells are rung.  What do you think??

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

Neither the retinal image or air tonometer should cause an iritis. So it would seem it is coincidental.

JCH III MD

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

I think it is highly unlikely that your iritis was due to overtesting with the air tonometer. The instrument does not send any kind of shock waves into the interior of the eye. the instrument has been around for more than three decades and is extremely safe.

you can conduct your own literature search but I don't think you'll find any case where iritis was caused by repeat testing.

JCH III MD

[abbygal]

I appreciate your input...now this leaves me puzzled over the cause!  Is it possible that it is purely coincidence that my iritis started the day of my eye exam?  I failed to mention, that I also had retinal imaging the same day..although was also assured that it was a safe procedure.