Margaret,
PLEASE , If none of the doctors think this was blood pressure related, find out who is the best glaucoma specialist in your area, and make an appointment. It sounds like it could have been a narrow angle glaucoma attack. (sometimes called "closed" angle) It differs from the common type of glaucoma in that "open" angle, which the vast majority of people have. Open angle has no symptoms really, but is detected during a standard pressure test in an eye exam.
Closed angle attacks are often mistaken for migraines. People at more at risk are women who are far sighted with brown eyes. Having Reynaud's is often part of their health history. It is also more common in those that are Asian. Seriously, if you're blue eyed and near sighted it is much less likely because of the structure within your eye. It is unlikely that it would have been discovered at an ER visit.
Closed angle does not show up with the pressure test usually. The doctor has to use this little device that is like a contact lens on a stick, that is mirrored (hard to explain) to check for it. Even after I was diagnosed with it, I tried going to just a regular ophthalmologist for annual exam and he said he thought my eye was fine (one had been fixed and one hadn't at that point) I had an appointment with the specialist the very next day, and she found that the closure was increased to the point where that eye needed the surgery ASAP.
We were actually just talking about this on the forum, as Lonna (sukilou) has narrow angle glaucoma too.... the fix is the easiest procedure I've ever had, the doctor uses a laser to make a drain hole at the 12 o'clock position in the iris. I was able to wear eye makeup for the "event" and drive myself home immediately afterward.
When I was first diagnosed, she (my glaucoma specialist, who I just love) was so surprised to see it, you could tell she wasn't expecting it, as it really is pretty rare. She sent me for a second opinion just to verify. I went to Eye and Ear Hospital in New York, and had a sonogram (ultrasound) of my eyes. Really interesting. I laid on my back in the exam room, this eye cup thing (that was missing the bottom) was fitted inside my eyelid all around, to make a dam so that saline could be poured on top of my eye, and then that little probe that is used for the sonogram just went in the water. Nothing ever touched my eye other than saline. (You know how they use gel when the sonogram is on the outside of the body, as it needs the liquid to work) The tech put in numbing drops first, so this was completely pain free, I couldn't feel a thing. Then, he turned out the lights in the room, and started the sonogram. As soon as the room got darker, and there was even a window in the room so it wasn't pitch black anyway, and my eye dilated, even
I could see the drains close on the monitor screen, it was so obvious.
So, there's my little dissertation on narrow angle glaucoma.
Get yourself checked out, as it could be so many things, I just wanted to write about this because from personal experience I know how easily it is missed.
