My eyeballs are burning!!!

BroadwayRN, ASN, RN · Jan 17, 2009

Since it only happens at the hospital and happens whether you have contacts in or glasses on you apparently have some type of allergy to something at work. You need to see an opthamologist and get an RX for an allergy eye gtt. There are some good ones that you only have to use QD rather than several times a day.

CathyLew · Jan 17, 2009

I was unable to wear my contacts at work. Night shift, 12 hrs... I could go about 6 hrs and had to take them out. Tried drops etc. didn't work. For a while I would take them out and soak them for an hour. Then put them back in. But I was more worried about infection. What was causing the irritation, and was it getting under my contacts. So I wore my glasses to work.

MiaLyse, APRN · Jan 17, 2009

I can't offer any help as I have the same problem. I think it's the lighting that hurts

my eyes so much. ugh I hope you find something that helps.

Pepperlady · Jan 17, 2009

I couldn't wear my contacts to work either. I thought the problem was the A/C making the air so dry, plus its recirculated so that makes it dry as well.

Most of the staff I work with has a hard time with contacts at work so I truely do think the air is much drier.

oramar · Jan 17, 2009

It is not only happening to nurses. My daughter's contacts bother her at work also. She is an IT person who spends the whole day at a computer. She has to wear glasses at work, nothing else seems to help. Sometimes she will spend 8 hours at the computer working from home and that does not cause a problem. So it is something about work.

Whispera, MSN, RN · Jan 17, 2009

I've had the dry itchy problem in every hospital in which I've worked. There are two things I think are responsible. One is the dryness of the air. Two is the glue holding the carpeting down and/or the carpet fibers themselves. I noticed my eye problems increased after we got new carpeting. I use saline drops, quite often, actually. They help some.

wonderbee, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2009

Certain kinds of lighting really effect the quality of my eyesight when wearing contacts. Overhead hospital lighting can be harsh. Also don't discount the heavy use of the furnace at this time of year. The air is so dry. I don't think rewetting drops really do the job of permeating the lens to the surface of the eye. As others have said, you should consult your eye specialist if you suspect infection.

FireStarterRN, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2009

I wear contacts, but I almost always wear glasses at work. I feel that glasses offer a little protection if there was a splash and they also make me look more conventional and intelligent.

HM2VikingRN, RN · Jan 17, 2009

See your eye doctor....

One thing I was wondering about? What type of contacts are you wearing? Are you following the care schedule carefully? If they have protein buildups etc that could cause irritation/infection. (This thread may be walking close to the medical advice rule.)

CathyLew · Jan 17, 2009

I feel that glasses offer a little protection if there was a splash and they also make me look more conventional and intelligent.

I was going to say that....but then I thought people may still be eating breakfast, and didn't want to get a visual of the splash of whatever in the face. Glasses did save me from that one time!

medicrnohio, RN · Jan 17, 2009

I experience the burning eyes at work and have experienced this at every one of my hospital jobs. Some days are better than others. Sometimes it does not hit me at work, but when I'm on my way home from work. It's really hard to drive a car when your eyes are burning and watering. I have tried the gel drops and they are somewhat helpful. I will probably ask my eye doctor about it next time I make a visit.