What is Recurrent Corneal Erosion?
‘Few conditions of the eye cause more pain, suffering, distress and despair as repeated episodes of corneal epithelial breakdown, namely recurrent corneal erosion syndrome (RCES).’
Dr Dua and Dr Said, in the Expert Review of Ophthalmology.
Recurrent Corneal Erosion is the name of the condition where the sensitive top layer of ‘skin’ on the front of your eye suddenly rips away, causing excruciating pain. The pain is like having your fingernails torn out, but probably 300 times worse, because the front of the eye has at least 300 times more nerve endings. Erosions usually happen during or at the end of sleeping, so patients often wake up screaming. The photo of the erosion on this page does nothing to convey the extent of the agony, sufferers say it is worse than childbirth, burns, and broken bones.
And because the condition is ‘recurrent’, it happens again and again, unpredictably. Many sufferers are frightened to fall asleep.
Yet getting good medical support is difficult. Patients may be sent away from their consultation with no effective treatment, no information, and no understanding from the doctor of the severe impact the erosions can have on quality of life.
The book was written to give sufferers the information they need to help themselves and to feel confident in asking for better medical treatment.
But this book is also the start of a drive to encourage the medical services gain a better understanding of the condition, so they can offer more sympathetic and effective help. For more information on this see Action.