Kimb - Eyeglasses create headache from pressure

Eyeglasses create headache from pressure

My name is Joan & have been living w/Fibro & MPS since the early 80's.

I came across your posting from 11/26/2007 re: your eyeglasses.

Having experienced the exact same thing (& continue to have some sensitivities), I responded with info that might have been helpful to you.  BUT ... it never posted!

Are you still having problems with your eyeglasses, or has this been resolved?

Hi Kimb,   I'm glad you found my post.  I'm going to share my experience, but I'm sorry to say that I don't have good news, but perhaps I can offer some hope & info.   First, I have Myofascial Pain Syndrome & Fibromyalgia. The Myofascial started first - early 80's (at that time, dx was referred to as a "facial neuralgia and/or  Atypical Facial Pain)   I had gotten a new eyeglass rx from an optometrist & glasses.  Facial discomfort started, eventually pain (behind my right ear - mastoid area). Saw an Opthomologist & his recommended optometrist (She told me the PD meas was incorrect).  Another new pair of glasses w/the so-called "corrected" PD meas. WRONG !!  My eye sockets went ballistic - aching! Another Optometrist or Optho (I forget). They straightened out my PD problem & I got eye socket relief.  Unfortunately, the pain quickly started again.  It was not the frame, weight of the glasses, or the rx. But the corrected PD resolved the eye aches.   Thru out the yrs: Neurologist - found nothing. Cat scan - nothing Opthomologist(s) - nothing (altho I did find out that my eyes were too dry for contacts) BUT ... eventually I found a pain dr & learned about "trigger points (TP)".  7 yrs of TP injections yet it continued (the dr was/is an excellent pain dr!) RE: Contact lenses Tried them (b4 I knew abt my dry eyes). Even tho they were the soft lenses, kept them lubricated, & I didn't feel anything on/in my eye, my "face" did not like them - it was pressure.   I don't recall the exact details with them, but I did have to stop any/all attempts of use.   It was at this time I was informed of my dry eyes, so that concluded that lenses weren't going to help me. **There was never   anything wrong with the contacts themselves.   I also had headaches, but I knew they weren't Migraines. They were "Migraine-like" headaches.  And I recognized that they were separate from my symptoms.   I couldn't/wouldn't wear my glasses for abt 10 yrs. In the early 90's new symptoms - that was the Fibro kicking in, but at least the facial pain  finally got a name - Myofascial Pain Syndrome.   Then one day out of desperation to "see" something, I put my glasses on, & I was able to keep them on!  This lasted abt 8 yrs (+ or -<?>).  And then it started again. It wasn't as excruciating like the 1st several yrs, but I cld not wear my glasses - again!   This is where I am at now. I find that I do better with glasses that have "straight" temple pieces, such as with many sunglasses. So I buy sunglass frames & have them made up as regular glasses (progressive lenses). Presently, this seems to work for me on & off. But I still have periods of not being able to wear them.   Kimb, I don’t give advise, I’m not qualified. However, in this case I wld suggest reading about Myofascial Pain Syndrome.   See if “anything” fits.   In addition, get examined for it.   Your Rheumy shld be familiar with Myofascial. http://www.drshankland.com/myofascial_pain.html Also, check out this site which I continue to find extremely helpful (meds, news, other sufferers, etc). Register yourself so you can post any questions you may have. http://www.immunesupport.com/chat/forums/messageboards.cfm  - Choose FIBROMYALGIA.   It’s common to have both Myofascial & Fibro so they're grouped together. On their library site: http://www.immunesupport.com/library/  - Search for Myofascial.   Kimb, PLZ do not hesitate to ask me anything, whether it be tomorrow, next week, month, 6 months, etc. You will not be imposing on me.   Plz let me know how it goes with the Rheumy.   I’ll be notified by Healingwell of any new postings.   One more thing:… would you mind if I posted our conversation to the Immunesupport group? Altho I’ve come across “wearing my glasses discomfort”, you are the 1st person who seems to be experiencing such similarity to what I’ve gone thru & still experience..     Warm wishes Joan

Thank you so very much for your reply. Sure you can share our conversation; I'm all for sharing if it can help someone else. I'm glad I found someone that can relate to what I'm going through. I have read about the myofascial pain syndrome and I am certainly a fit for it . I will discuss with my Rheumy. I'm an insurance agent and I'm on the computer and reading documents all day. At least I should be. I'm down 80% of my productivity because I can't keep my glasses on. When I don't wear them, I'm straining my eyes. My eyes are extremely dry and they ache badly. The eye doctor said "you must wear your glasses"; but I am miserable when I wear them. It starts out as face pain and then spirals from there. It's only recently that I realized it was the pressure of the glasses. I will research the info you gave me and thank you so very much. I have pain meds on hand but I rather avoid the pain completely. On the weekends I have no headache, no face pain because I don't wear my glasses. I have my husband look at a menu if we go out to a restaurant; ugh, very frustrating. By yesterday I just broke down crying from the stress of it all. I think about down the road with my job, how will I continue to do it? I'm so glad I saw your post!

Hi Kim,

 

I wanted to get back to you sooner, but unfortunately got side-tracked w/change of primary dr, etc.

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Without getting into the actual dx, I have to say I related to you emotionally & physically 99.9% (.1% = no husband - LOL)

 

I was angry & confused - what was going on with me? (Never felt it was life/death serious). I cried from stress & pain. I also lost my job of almost 10-yrs b/c of this (details below). So there was more crying.

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It starts out as face pain and then spirals from there.

Down your shoulders, arms, etc - right? This is what I suffered then & continue to suffer, altho most of the time it's the Fibro.

1. How r u being treated on the job?
2. R u getting good emotional support from your husband?

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• When did this start?
• Was their anything particular that happened? (As I mentioned, for me it was a change in my eye rx).
• How old were you & are you now? (You don't have to answer this publicly. My email address is listed so you can respond privately.)

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I don't play dr with anyone, but in expressing my thoughts, I think it's Myofascial Pain Syndrome. So many similarities!

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Re: your eye dr: "you must wear your glasses.

 

Plz consider another eye dr. Even tho he/she might not be able to help you, it doesn't sound like you're being "heard". An "I don't know" wld have been the appropriate comment!  Is this dr deaf? Or stupid? You're in PAIN!

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Re: Working on your computer (I'm a pc geek)

Have you reset the monitor for larger print? You can do this directly thru the Windows software. Maybe this can help you a little bit.

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Keep me informed.

 

If it's Myofascial, I'll share whatever else that might be helpful to you.  But for now, at least you found someone with the same symptoms.

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Re: The co. that fired me - details:

 

Thru the yrs up until the time I stopped working & filed for SSDI, I worked on the computer & was able to do so even w/out my glasses. So I guess our visual rx is somewhat different. Yet, b/c I needed them for distance (had already given up driving), I was quite frustrated.

 

The job I was on when this all started was an ins co & I was assisting the dept acct & was able to keep up my work. Then a new dept mgr came in. I had already started with a pain dr for wkly tp treatments so he was aware that I had a medical problem.

 

Despite his having a secy, he decided to send me on an errand to another floor. Altho I explained my visual difficulty (not able to wear my glasses), physical unsteadiness & a medical note in my personal files of this, he insisted & I refused. He made my life a living hell until 1 day he "pushed" me out.  Now mind you, this was 1 of the largest ins co in NY & this creep (stronger words used against him "off" forum postings), he got personnel to agree with pushing me out. I did seek legal help & was told to "tell them that I wanted to come back to work". How he manipulated personnel so well still baffles me!

 

The only way I wld be allowed back to work, was to do errands when asked, even tho it was not in my job description & he had a secy. And regardless of ADA regulations, no accommodations were offered.

 

This was such a trivial matter considering what I was able to do. However, eventually I was fired - after almost 10 yrs (early 80's - early 90's) & an excellent work history.

 

Not being a high-status-paying job, there was difficulty trying to attain an atty. Ultimately, I went to the EEOC & sued thru them.

 

If I recall correctly, the max you cld win was $10,000. The ins co 1st offered $7,000 which my atty declined immediately. Then I was presented with $8000 & I refused. My EEOC atty was a bit worried, but I stood firm. My winnings was $9000 (incl great respect from the atty for not giving in, & actually "learning" from me & this experience).

 

To this day, I regret not fighting for the full $10,000 b/c they admitted to using my disability against me, but I was so tired & the atty wanted me to take the $'s & bank/invest it for my protection. He also expressed concern to what the stress was doing to me & wanted me to try & move on (His concerns felt sincere & I believe he was).

 

Big deal - $9000! I did find job(s) afterwards, but cldn't manage to hang on to them, made mistakes! (I didn't know that Fibro was slowly kicking in & was causing cognitive difficulties which were the reasons for making errors).

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I hope you feel well soon.  We'll chat when you're up to it.

Hugs

Joan