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

[jellyfish2]

This is probably well covered and if so, please point me to the threads. I recently spent a day doing two open water dives in the Andaman Sea (Thailand) with a guide. I have a prescription glass mask. We were down no more than 13m for an hour each dive. These were my 5th and 6th open water dives, all in salt water.

I had swimmer's ear or some similar infection, particularly in my left ear. I used the neomycin drops and took a pseudoephedrine pill to relive any sinus issues on dive day. I was not otherwise sick. Following the first dive, my left eye felt a bit irritated, which I put down to the incredibly salty water. During the second dive, I had a glaze over my left eye and couldn't really see out of it. It felt like my eye was stuck on the glass of the mask, which is not possible. By the time I got out of the water, I was in serious pain. I flushed my eye with fresh water from the boat, but after a few minutes, the pain got worse and worse and I couldn't even open my left eye. I tried Visine, which briefly helped. The glaze over my vision continued during the two hour boat ride back to the port and 30 minutes in a truck to get back to my room. By then I couldn't even open my left eye. I assumed that I either had a piece of sand or shell under my eyelid or that I had a corneal abrasion. I flushed my eye repeatedly and had a good look under the eyelid and elsewhere. Nothing. Called the resort doctor, who claimed to see a scratch on my cornea and gave me sterile eye drops and some cure-all pills (Taraxine?), which I did not take. I staggered to dinner and kept my eye closed. After several hours and a few beers, the pain subsided, my vision cleared and I was able to read. The next day, my eye was red and swollen and hurt, but was much better. Two days later I was pretty much 100%, but still have swimmer's ear, which is getting better.

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!

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I don't think they are related. The eye symptom suggest you had something in the eye- sun screen is a possibility, or perhaps as you suggested, somehting else irritating the eye. If you used a suncreen product with any kind of insect repellant, I would say that was the culprit. I had that as the cause of a very similar irritation to my own eye some years ago. In any event, all's well that ends well. I'm glad you're ok.
DivemasterDennis

 

[industrious95]

Mask anti-fog can be irritating. I've never heard of it as bad as what you describe, but we're all different.

If you use it, you're supposed to smear it on the lenses in the mask, then rinse out the mask before putting it on your face.

 

[jellyfish2]

Replying to D. Dennis and I95: I did apply Johnsons baby shampoo on the two mask glasses and did not rinse them before diving, though I did frequently let in water to clear the glass once I got down. This was eye-specific and really quite scary and unpleasant. So to answer both of you: I did not rinse the mask before diving and I did apply 100 sunblock before diving. That being said, my son was unaffected by the 100 and I was nearly hospitalized for just one eye. Weird.

 

[freewillie]

You are asking a medical question about infections and if they are related in a public forum primarily of lay people without medical training or at best limited medical exposure. I would say repost your question in the medical forum where you are more likely to get some actual medically trained professionals.

 

[Kevrumbo]

I have chronic problems with corneal abrasions due to an underlying disease process (Keratocomus OU and seasonal hay fever with allergic blepharitis, keratitis, and conjunctivitis, along with wearing hard contact lenses which also has an abrading effect on my corneal tissue. My Rx is a regimen of corticosteroid and antibiotic eye drops (Pred-forte and Vigamox respectively), one drop 4 times a day for five to seven days and no contacts or limited use as needed for work & driving.

My recommendation is if this problem persists or reoccurs, then seek the aid of a Physician specializing in Ophthalmology, with a sub-specialty in corneal disease & surgery.

http://www.bumrungrad.com/en/m/sear...c,c557841d-d258-11de-9c96-001e4f585770&mode=q

 

[jellyfish2]

Thanks, Kevrumbo. Gives me an avenue to follow and we love Bumrungrad Hospital over here.

 

[diver 85]

Thanks, Kevrumbo. Gives me an avenue to follow and we love Bumrungrad Hospital over here.

Did you get my PM???.......If so, heed my advise, I've been "foolin' with" eyes for 38 years......Good luck.....PS, be CAREFUL with continued use of steroids(Pred Forte)in the eye, it can 'bite you'/Vigamox, not so(much)..............

 

[jellyfish2]

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.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Sounds like suntan lotion in the eye to me. I quit wearing it when diving. This means I have to wear a handkerchief, scap or hood. Much preferrable to stinging suntan lotion in my eye(s).

It also sounds like the time I accidentally sprayed DEET directly into my eye because I'd been distracted from my task by the amazing colors of the sea. On the island for 1/2 hour and into doctor's clinic I went. Had the haze for another day or so but cleared up nicely.

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.