Eye problems, extra sensitivity to light & sun

[Jeffsam]

I wanted to find out if anyone who has gone through TBI and high dose chemo conditioning before transplant has experienced any kind of future eye problems. My favorite sport is kitesurfing and I'm outside in the sun a real lot. After I recover from an unrelated bone marrow transplant I was wondering if I could have a lot of eye difficulties from the sun.
I'm still trying to decide if a transplant is the right choice for me, but it probably is. Soon I will have my preliminary appointment at a transplant center and should be able to figure out if this is the way to go.
I heard that TBI can cause major light sensitivity. Let me know what you think. Any ideas would be really appreciated. Thanks.

[Laura]

I had TBI and high dose chemo but have not experienced anything you have described. I am only 1 year out though.

Laura

[Ruth Cuadra]

Hi, Jeffsam.

I had TBI and high dose conditioning before my transplant in 1998. I was very light sensitive while I was in the hospital and had to keep my room dark and the blinds drawn. As I recovered, my sensitivity decreased but I still prefer the lights dim for TV watching and always wear sunglasses outside. I am not an athlete, but I don't think a condition like mine would prevent me from participating in a sport I love.

More bothersome than light sensitivity is chronic dryness that requires over-the-counter drops several times a day. Many people are able to reduce the discomfort of dry eyes with Restatis (cyclosporine in eye drop form), but I find it burns too much to be worth the improvement. I've got punctal plugs in my lower tear ducts, which helps some, but I rely on eyedrops for comfort. To continue kitesurfing after your transplant, you might need to invest in goggles that keep your eyes tightly enclosed so that no moisture escapes.

Hope this helps.
Ruth

[Jeffsam]

Thanks for the replies Laura and Ruth. I just read about punctal plugs on the internet for dry eyes. That is something that I will look into. My eyes often get dry and burn after kitesurfing. The ocean water sprays into my eyes from the kiteboard. I would imagine after going through everything involved with a BMT this could be a potentially big problem. Your suggestion about wearing tight fitting goggles would definitely help keep the salt water out of my eyes and keep the moisture in the eyes. As long as the goggles don't fog up, this could be a good solution for me.