Can I use a warm compress on a red painful eye with sclerosis?
AUG 31, 2015
Question:
Can I use a warm compress on a red painful eye with sclerosis?
Answer:
Nuclear sclerosis is a type of cataract (clouding of the eye’s natural lens). It would not require warm compresses.
Scleritis is an inflammatory condition that causes redness and pain around the white part the eye. You need to see an ophthalmologist that has expertise in ocular surface and corneal disorders if you have scleritis so they can figure out why you have it. A number of systemic conditions can be associated with scleritis so a series of laboratory tests needs to be performed to decide why you have it and to see whether an underlying systemic disorder needs to be treated. Oral and topical medications are the treatment for scleritis but alternating cold and warm compresses may be helpful with the pain you are experiencing. Pain is an indicator of active inflammation so you need to get started on medical treatment in order to prevent eye damage right away.