My left eye is closing and it looks weird.

April 29, 2007 3:45 AM

HELP MY EYE!!!! I hope that got your attention, because I have a long explanation about my LEFT EYE.....It has a serious problem where it is constantly closing and it is basically half the size of my right eye. I have no idea what it is and need any information that there is out there. Sorry it's so long :(

My left eye started doing this weird thing last year. It started just closing on its own; it comes and goes and lasts for a short moment to a few minutes at most.

It's almost like it gets sleepy. I have big eyes so when it begins to close it is very noticeable; more than half the size of my eye is lost. On Christmas eve I found an eye doctor who was awesome enough to give me a free eye exam. He said there was no growth on my brain, my eyes are the same size, I have good vision, maybe lite reading glasses, but that was it. He also said that I should try to reduce stress. I did. I moved to a great place, found an awesome job. Now my eye is flipping out again.

I'm really worried because it has become worse, much worse; It is closing more and more and now I have started feeling this strange pressure in my head (earlier today and all I wanted to do was pass out.) I had to force my self from not sleeping. The pressure will sometimes turn into this shooting pain from the right side of my brain, and my left eye closes and the right side of my mouth clenches.

I really have no idea what it may be, but I am curious to know if anyone may have some sort of an idea. I do not have health insurance, so I have to wait until the free clinic can fit me in and than refer me to a specialist. But until than I need to know what it may possibly be, any ideas at all. Has anyone ever had this issue.?

posted by eve28 to health & fitness (17 comments total)

My first thought was myasthenia gravis because a drooping eyelid is one of the early signs. Here's a fact sheet.
posted by selfmedicating at 4:40 AM on April 29, 2007

Just to aid your searching, the symptom you are describing is 'ptosis.'
posted by i_am_a_Jedi at 5:30 AM on April 29, 2007

When I get stressed out, my left eyelid will start twitching closed a bit. You didn't mention if your eyelid just droops or if it is twitching, but it's just stress for me. Once I calm down, the eyelid is back to normal.
posted by mathowie at 5:32 AM on April 29, 2007

Sounds like hemifacial spasm to me. It's treatable. See a neurologist.
posted by ikkyu2 at 6:55 AM on April 29, 2007

um, the pressure and pain? that sounds bad.
GO SEE A DOCTOR.
posted by twistofrhyme at 9:51 AM on April 29, 2007

My girlfriend has Bell's Palsy which is associated with one eye not opening all the way. It usually has other obvious facial effects like one side not being as mobile as the other. No pain or pressure though. Ditto seeing a doctor.
posted by Skorgu at 11:21 AM on April 29, 2007

I don't know what it is, but it is something you should see a doctor about, and almost certainly a specialist. Just because the first eye doctor (opthalmologist = MD, optometrist = prescribes eyeglasses) didn't see anything doesn't mean that something isn't now declaring itself. Go, soon.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 11:26 AM on April 29, 2007

Since you are going to a free clinic where the doctors are probably pressed for time, I'd definitely encourage you to do your homework first. Print out info on a couple things that you think it might be, and bring in a bulleted list of symptoms! In one of these health threads ikkyu2 talks about how useful that is since the doctor then doesn't have to spend a ton of time extracting the info, s/he has it right there.
posted by selfmedicating at 11:31 AM on April 29, 2007

My dad has myasthenia gravis and this doesn't sound like MG to me, because MG isn't localized to specific nerves such that only the left eye would be affected.

MG is an autoimmune disorder whereby antibodies bind to receptors in the nerve/muscle junction. This autoimmune reaction is excarcerbated by activity, thus muscles controlling eyes, mouth, neck etc. are the first to be affected because you use them all the time.
posted by randomstriker at 12:43 PM on April 29, 2007

Ptosis also happens in Horner's Syndrome. Recommend seeing a neurologist.
posted by alex3005 at 4:26 PM on April 29, 2007 [1 favorite has favorites]

Thank YOU ...ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!! You have been a great help to me. i had heard once, from my OBGYN that it could be 'myasthenia gravis," but never heard of Ptosis until now. I will make the list, thank you self-medicating, and make note of everything all of you have said. Thanks again!~!
posted by eve28 at 6:12 PM on April 29, 2007

Please do follow up on this! People who are stuck without health insurance have a special place in my heart. On all of the health-related askmefi questions, I always, always want to know what it ended up being. I check the My Comments page pretty often, so if you post back to this thread I'll see it.
posted by selfmedicating at 7:14 PM on April 29, 2007

And, not to freak you any worse, but remember that *almost anything* that's hemisperic could be related to a stroke or related condition.

Manage your care, even if it's at the Free Clinic. I'd escalate this...
posted by baylink at 8:43 PM on April 29, 2007

I actually meant to say "asymmetric" rather than hemispheric.

(And I'm not a doctor, I just play one, yada yada...)
posted by baylink at 8:43 PM on April 29, 2007

So I have an appointment on the 10th of May. I just want to say thank you again for everybody's help and advice. I will keep you updated as to the severity of my eye. Hopefully I will be referred to a Neurologist right away.
posted by eve28 at 10:22 AM on May 1, 2007

Glad you could get an appointment! Let us know what happens.
posted by selfmedicating at 6:21 PM on May 1, 2007

Hi all. i just wanted you all to know that i am still working on the eye. I definetly have Ptosis and I have a neuro appointment in like 2 months.
Thank you everyone for all your help.
I am adding a new post ion the next few minutes about issues i am having logging in to the Hp Pavillion dv4000 i have.
I can not even get on the desktop, and i do not have a password...
posted by eve28 at 1:21 PM on June 17, 2007