Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Monox D. I-Fly on 15/11/2018 00:58:02
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So I underwent the cataract surgery at October 6th and checked-up regularly. Everything went well until yesterday, when I checked-up, the doctor said that there's an infection in my right eye (the one which got operated). When I asked the doctor what caused it he didn't know either and asked back whether I have some cracks in my teeth. I then asked what do the teeth have to do with the eye, but the doctor just asked me to answer the question, but I didn't know the answer either. So, do you guys happen to know what is the exact relationship between a tooth and an eye? If they are in fact unrelated at all, what exactly caused the infection in my right eye and how to cure it?
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Welcome to the club - I've just joined for the second time (right eye this week) and am reliving the joys of antisepsis.
Tears and eye drops drain into the nasal cavity and thence to the throat, so it is entirely possible that bacteria in the mouth or jaw can travel in the opposite direction if there is insufficient flow of antiseptic or natural tears.
There's an equally odd connection between dental infection and the heart: bacterial endocarditis usually begins with a dental abscess.
I guess any bug strong enough to withstand saliva and attack a tooth, is a potential guerrilla.
As for a cure, rule 1 applies: "never google symptoms"! Always go back to the eye clinic and do whatever they say - they've seen it all before.
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Tears and eye drops drain into the nasal cavity and thence to the throat, so it is entirely possible that bacteria in the mouth or jaw can travel in the opposite direction if there is insufficient flow of antiseptic or natural tears.
So I can get away with shedding some tears? Will it make my right eye relieved or worse?
Also, some info I forgot to put in the first post. Sometimes when my right eye is itchy or I feel there's some dirt on it I tend to wipe it off slowly with a sheet of white tissue paper to make the dirt sticks there. When there's no tissue paper available, though, I use my finger directly, albeit gently, and sometimes I feels like peeling something off, like when you peel an old scar which is starting to dry. Is this possible to be the cause of the infection?
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Tears are good, but not always effective.
There's a good reason for scrubbing and gloving before touching a patient. Beware of poking a nonsterile finger anywhere near an eye - even one that hasn't been traumatised by surgery.
I'm not an ophthalmologist, but a basic rule of industrial first aid is "don't muck about with eyes". If it isn't healing every day, and in your case that seems to be so, take yourself to an eye clinic ASAP. I expect to be free of itching within a week and fully recovered in a month, with strict instructions to return to the clinic if not.