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Hi Nana,
Same thing happened to Justin over the last month or so! Oncs thought maybe it was allergies (no itch, hurt or discharge). There was a little yellowish area though, just beyond the blue part. We tried allergy drops--no better. We finally went to see an ophthamologist, who thought it looked like inflammation and perhaps white blood cells gathering in an area, but nothing too serious. Started in one eye and then slowly started in the other. He prescribed some steroid drops (Lotemax), but said that they would probably clear up right away once he started his Prednisone 5 day steroid pulse--and they did. He has been fine since, and will be stopping his drops this week and then he wants to see him again in 2 weeks. My pediatrician wanted a picture so I took one. Nobody is sure if it is treatment related, but the onc team said sometimes steroids can cause eye problems--so wanted him looked at by an ophthamologist.
Hope this helps and his eye gets better soon! 
If it is any consolation, i work as a school nurse in central florida and we were inundated last month in the elementary schools with allergic conjunctivitis. The pic looks exactly like what we saw. There was so much of it that the centra cares issued a statement regarding the influx blamint it on the pollen count. I certainly would still check with the doctor.Conjunctivitis can be bacterial or viral too.
http://westorlandonews.com/2010/04/06/pink-eye-going-around-in-central-florida/
That's interesting mamawarrior. But Justin did not have any discomfort, itching or discharge, which is why they don't think it was conjunctivitis I guess? I have never heard of allergic conjunctivitis though...good to know.
Tonya,
Same here with no discomfort or discharge. Jakob doen't take steroids any more because of AVN. And just a coincedence but Jakob went to the opthamologist about a month ago, just for an annual eye check, and everything was fine. Are Justin's eyes completely better? Looks just like it and the drops have done nothing. We go to clinic today, hopefully the Onc will have another idea. I'll let you know.
Thanks
Nana
Yes, Justin's eyes look good now. Ask what they think about prescribing these steroid drops: Lotemax by Bausch and Lomb--3 times a day (now he is at once a day).
As far as allergic conjunctivitis, most of the kids i saw in the school clinic, did not have any discomfort. The teachers sent them because their eyes were so red and they were concerned of pink eye. And none of the kids had drainage with the exception of one that had teary eyes. I don't know, they say allergic conjunctivitis is not contageous but we sure saw an influx of kids and i don't recall of hearing of any adults. Is it because kids are outside more, play on the ground where the pollen has fallen, or is it the kids with autoimmune type problems/ asthma and allergies? Hmmm.
We just got back from clinic and the Dr is stumped. So now we are going to do nothing for the next week, or less if it gets worse, and see if it clears up.
Mamawarrior, one Dr today thought allergic conjunctivitis--but Jakob had a full range allergy test done in March and all came back negative. And I guess the other drops should have helped clear it up anyways......
Tonya, they won't give Jakob steroid anything because of his AVN, not many studies have been done to see the exact absorption levels they are really afraid of doing further damage. Probably, really being over cautious. Justin's picture looks almost exactly like Jakob's so let me know if it comes back after his steroid pulse.
Thanks for the ideas,
Nana
Personally, i tend to wonder if it is something viral going around and was being blamed on allergies.
Hi Nana,
Justin's last steroid dose was a week ago yesterday, and all is still good. He said the the amount of steroid in the drops is miniscule compared to his oral pulse.
Hi Nana,
Thought I would give you an update. Justin's eye continued to be fine on the steroid drops once a day, but once we stopped it--started looking bad again in just a couple of days. We went back to the eye doc today, and he wants him to just stay on the drops since it is such a tiny amount of steroid and it solves the problem. I looked at their file, and they named the condition "conjunctival edema". I asked the doc what he thought was causing it and he says he really doesn't know at this point, if it has something to do with his blood disorder, or sometimes the condition can come back after steroids. He says there are so many causes for inflammatory disease, that he just doesn't know. He says everything else looks good, vision and pressure are good--so if the drops keep it away then he doesn't see a problem with Justin staying on such a low dosage and will see him again in a couple of weeks.
How are Jakob's eyes doing?
Tonya,
Thanks for the update. I'm glad the drops help Justin's eye. Jakob's is still just as red, maybe a little more. On Wednesday at clinic the Onc wanted to wait one more week, then go for a consult with eye dr. So as far as the drops go, do they think it is fixing the problem or just masking the redness??? The fact that it came back quite quickly makes me think it is just masking the problem and not fixing it???
Keep me posted,
Nana
Bump for Nancy. Justin's eyes are fine now btw. I think it may have had something to do with trying to figure out right dosing during maintenance. He has had few problems since we regulated his counts.
Hi,
My son recently started on LTM. He is on a chemo hold for low ANC (200). He has bloodshot eyes, but they aren't itchy or anything and I don't see any other symptoms. I thought I'd bump this message and see if there is anyone else out there with some insight. I'm not super worried (yet) but the day is still young Somehow, Friday night as I'm putting dinner on the table is his favorite time to spike a fever.
I really think it has something to do with low counts. Justin's eyes have remained clear without having to use the Lotemax drops in a long time. And, all subsequent tests at the ophthamologist have been normal as well. Yup, right after dinner time would be the magic time for us to start spiking fevers.
Don't want to worry you (but I probably will), but Elke had something similar, although very extreme, last weekend, and then was quite sick all this week. Last Saturday she had one eye suddenly get so bloodshot it was if, as she said, "mommy, my eye is bleeding." Honestly, I hate to use the term bloodshot, because this was like you peeled back the lid and it was just bloody. But it caused her no discomfort -- just looked horrific. And then, two days later, she came down with a nasty illness (high fevers, etc). So in her case it seems like it may have been a prelude to illness (sorry, now your worry radar will be going off the charts).
On treatment she has gotten what I considered to be allergic conjunctivitis a couple of times. This was a very bloodshot eye or eyes, but with little to no discomfort, and none of the pus and discharge of bacterial conjunctivitis. My kids actually get allergic conjunctivitis a fair amount, so I'm quite familiar with it. If that's it, it will go away on its own and not cause too much discomfort, perhaps a little excess clear tear drainage.
Hope that it's the latter scenario for you!
Ann
Hi,
Thanks for getting back to me. I was so tired today, I took a nap and woke up with......bloodshot eyes. My son's are better (phew!) and I'm now leaning towards a "minor virus" theory. I guess I'm just really edgy since his counts are low and we're on a chemo hold.
