Question
Dr. Johnston,
My eyes water a lot. Sometimes, it also pains in the eyes. So I've to resort to eye drops after which, I feel better. This has been the case since the past 12 years. I'm 26 years of age. I saw a solar eclipse back in 1995.
My eyes usually water in winters but this is not always the case. I've contacted many eye specialists/surgeons. My eyes and eyesight are 100% okay except for a few minute lines on the eyes and even though my eyesight is ok, I wanted to know whether this is some disease and will this trouble me in future.
Thanking you and waiting for an answer.
Answer
It is difficult to say whether your eyes were damaged by viewing that solar eclipse back in 1995 without even doing an exam on you. But even with an exam, damage like that would be hard for a doctor to see.
But since you complain of watering and pain that is resolved by the use of eye drops, it makes me wonder if you might just have dry eye. This is somewhat unusual in a 26 year old, but still is quite possible. I know, your complaint is watering, not dryness. But, actually excess tearing IS a symptom of dry eye. If the tears are not of the proper chemical mix then your eye feels dry and makes more of the watery layer of tears, when in fact it is one of the other layers (oily layer or mucous layer) that is deficient.
Dry eye is treatable now by a prescription eyedrop called Restasis but I would not know if this is available in India or what it would be called there. It is a drug based on cyclosporin and its purpose is to decrease inflammation. A lot of dry eye now is being attributed to inflammation.
Another way of decreasing inflammation is the use of Omega 3 fatty oils (fish oil or flax seed oil) in your diet. But before you go trying all that, you would need an eye doctor to specifically test you for dry eye.
If you don't have dry eye syndrome, then your complaints may very well relate to the solar eclipse exposure you suffered 12 years ago. I would continue the use of eye drops as much as is necessary to control the symptoms and minimize further exposure to the sun. (wear sunglasses and a sun visor when outdoors) As for long term problems from this, it is very difficult to say. While whatever damage you had, IF there was damage at all, happened long ago, but when we are younger, our bodies generally compensate better for physical problems than they do when we are older. I am sorry to say: it is possible that you may note some changes when you are older resulting from exposure to that eclipse.
