Final tapering of prednisone, now have eye irritation

Posted by salgalincal @salgalincal, 4 days ago

Has anyone else experienced this eye irritation? After 3 1/2 years of prednisone/mtx and a very slow and methodical tapering regime, I’m now just weeks away from finishing. Right eye only irritation for the last couple of weeks. Not bloodshot, just feels somewhat dry. Really nervous about GCA now. No headaches thankfully.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) Support Group.

seniormed | @seniormed | 4 days ago

Dry eyes are not a symptom of GCA. Dry eyes can be due to autoimmune
inflammation. I noticed it more off prednisone.

boomermeg | @boomermeg | 4 days ago

Something that helps me with dry eyes is "Thera tears" eye drops, no preservatives. Just moisture. My Opthalmologist recommended them years ago. He always said, NO PRESERVATIVES. I use it everyday lately. Notice my eyes feel a lot better using it at least once a day in the AM, sometimes in PM as well.
Hope you get some relief and that you are able to get completely off of Prednisone asap. Blessings.

momac59 | @momac59 | 4 days ago

Have you been tested for Sjogrens? Dry eyes is a big symptom for that autoimmune disease. My mom & sister have it. I don’t but have GCA & Lupus. My GCA causes eye irritation often & those headaches. Ugh!

stonewheel | @stonewheel | 3 days ago

If you see flashing light in a perimeter of an eye (I did when I was down to 0.5mg/day of Prednisone) go to an Opthalmologist. She said it wasn’t a Prednisone taper issue.
She also said she saw no GCA.