Advocating for Your Health and Dry Eye
Earlier this year I decided to book a flight to Boston, Mass., to be seen at Tuft's Medical Center. There I saw physical Pedram Hamrah. He is a leading physician in the research of corneal neuropathy. You may be wondering what that has to do with dry eye, but I think it has a ton to do with it.
Feeling like I was still struggling
I have been getting treatment for my dry eye for over a year now. I am much better than where I was starting out, but I still struggle a lot with my symptoms.
Corneal neuralgia can cause perceptions of burning, stinging, dryness, and eye-ache pain.1
The only doctor in the U.S. I could find who can do a confocal microscopy and read results is in Boston. A confocal microscopy is a machine that is able to see inside your cornea more than a regular slit lamp exam. It's quite fascinating! This is a helpful diagnostic tool in diagnosing corneal neuropathy.
Advocating for myself
According to my results and physical examination, Dr. Hamrah diagnosed me with having corneal neuralgia. This diagnosis was very scary but also gave me more insight into why my eyes still were having a hard time, despite the good treatment that I am getting currently.
I left Boston feeling more validated and that I would be on the road to recovery, a slow road, but at least a road nonetheless. Sometimes it takes a village to get a diagnosis, but the more you advocate for yourself, you may find that you will get more answers!
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