White foggy vision!!!

[Sharonblueyes]

This morning I woke up and put in my contact lenses as usual. My eyes were fine. A little while later I noticed my left eye was a little blurry, as though I had a bit of protein under the lens or some sort of film on my contact. I rubbed my eyes a bit and that didnt help so I took out my contact to rinse whatever it was off, but there was nothing on my contact!! I put it back in, but it was still foggy, almost like I was looking through a drop of milk or something. Whitish fog. Anyhow, I took it back out and looked through my eye without it and it was still that whitish haze!!! I got a little freaked out and thought maybe I had gotten something in my eye that was coating the lens. I put in eye drops, I rubbed it, I even used my finger to touch my pupil area thinking maybe I could wipe it off. No such luck! Then I really got scared as I noticed the surface of my eye was not nearly so sensetive to my touch as usual. It almost felt as if I was touching it through my contact lens! I have checked and rechecked and had my husband look into my eye, we cant see anything on the surface of it. I cant get in with my eye doctor until the 5th of November, which is more than a week from now. I need to know if this is something I should panic about or if I should just wait and see..? It's been half a day now and nothing has changed. My eye doesnt hurt or anything, but it is obscured with a whitish foggy haze, and I can touch the surface of my eye without any discomfort! Weird eh??  Any ideas??? Thanks so much!

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

If your corneal swelling (edema) is due to contact lens then leaving your contact out for a week should clear it up. There are some medical eye conditions that can cause it and that's what your exam should exclude.

JCH III MD

[Sharonblueyes]

WOW! Thanks for the prompt answer! I didnt expect it that quick on a Sunday night! :) I will call my eye doctor first thing in the morning and let her know. Thanks so much :) Is this Corneal edema something that just goes away on it's own or does it need medication? Does it reccur often? I think I will Google it since I cant call the doctor until tomorrow! Thanks again,

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

The most likely problem is swelling of your cornea (corneal edema) from your contact lens. There are however other possibilities and they need checked.

It IS reasonable for the "eye doctor" that checked you to see you Monday morning Oct 22. I would declare it an emergency. If they won't see you they don't serve your business and I would take it elsewhere.

Most Eye MD ophthalmology practices keep spots open each day for medical eye emergencies. I would start early Monday evening call all the Eye MDs in your city declaring an eye emergency. I'm sure one of them will see you.   I would then transfer your records to this office and let them take care of you in the future.

JCH III MD