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1st eye bleed

Hi
I'm just looking for advice. Whilst putting in my contact lens this morning I got a shock to see that half the White of my eye is red blood. This is my first side effect after being on imatinib for just over 3 months. It's not painful or uncomforabld but very noticeable. My question really is there any way to get rid of it? How long will it stay like this? Why I ask is I am a bridesmaid at my sisters wedding on Friday and would feel rather self conscious about it especially for the pictures. Any advice would be great thanks
Lynne

Hi Lynne, 

This is very inconvenient timing for you to have an eyebleed. It is quite common and will go away eventually.... hopefully by Friday! 

I found that bathing my eyes in either warm water with sea salt OR a few drops of calendula tincture (from homeopathic chemist) soothed the eye and it cleared up much faster.

You could also try Eurphrasia (natural herb commonly called eyebright) which you can find at good chemists/health stores etc.

Try to rest your eyes as much as possible and hopefully you will find it will have disappeared by Friday. Have a lovely day and congratualtions to your sister.

Best wishes,

Sandy

Thanks sandy I'm now on the case to get all of the above! Just another question it does seen common from reading the forum but should I get my optician to check it out or will it be ok. Yes very bad timing but if that's the only side effect I have then I suppose I can't complain. Looking forward to the seminar on the 12th and the agenda looks very intersting
Thanks lynne

Thanks sandy I'm now on the case to get all of the above! Just another question it does seen common from reading the forum but should I get my optician to check it out or will it be ok. Yes very bad timing but if that's the only side effect I have then I suppose I can't complain. Looking forward to the seminar on the 12th and the agenda looks very intersting
Thanks lynne

Hi Lynne, it would do no harm for you to check with your optician as it will reassure you that there is no more sinister a reason for your eyebleed other than it is a common side effect of TKI therapy. many of us have experienced this on a very regular basis- and if you also use contact lenses then it increases the risk of damaging the quite sensitive blood vessels in the eye. If you use daily contact lenses then this would decrease the risk. You could try to use glasses - if you have them- for a day or so and give your eyes a rest?

Best wishes,

Sandy