Hi nickel,
I'm struggling with it too. You need to see an opthalamologist. They're MDs & should have a background with inflammation in the eyes. Warm compresses on the affected area several times a day for about 10 min each help.

Mine started with swelling & pain. The 1st Dr said it was cellulitis gave me steroid drops & sent me on my way. Within 2wks it was in the other eye and its been rotating eyes every week since labor day now.

My rheumy says they are internal styes probably caused by blepharitis-inflammation of the eyelids. She referred me to an opthamalogist that I'm seeing this Tuesday. Hopefully they'll have some answers. Blepharitis can be common in RA. It can also be acute or chronic. Since mine is recurring she's leaning toward chronic. Which means these styes & swelling might just be in my life to stay.

Hope you get some answers. A specialist should be able to help.
Take care,
Emerald

Thanks!! I will see if I can see an ophthalmologist. In all of my research my eye looks like the classic "heliotrope" eye of dermatomyositis. I hope another autoimmune disease is not rearing it's ugly head. I've already been told I have RA, maybe lupus, definitely sjogrens. :(

I have Sjogrens too. The bumps start out painful then itchy then swell inside & outside of the eye. Looks like someone punched me in the face. After a day or two they look like whitehead pimples. Which I guess they actually are. After a couple of days of warm compresses they will "release" then its another couple of days to get better. One has progressed & it's a hard lump in my lower eyelid. Called a chalazion. Apparently those can last a few months.

When I had my last Sjogrens flare the salivary glands under my tongue got impacted and followed the same course as my eyes. Since they're both impacted glands I guess it makes sense. They looked almost identical to each other, just different places. They resolved themselves the same way.

Maybe it is Sjogrens, I don't know. None of my research mentioned it being a possibility. Just that blepharitis and RA can go together. More inflammation in a new place. I don't know if it's considered RA in the eyes or not. Hoping the Dr has more info for me. Dealing with this every week for a month is about to drive me nuts!

I am thankful its not uveitis or some of the others. Those look amazingly painful. I do know my vision has gotten worse just since my last exam in February. Too bad inflammation always comes with pain.

You medical insurance will cover the ophthalmalogist since they're MDs. You don't need vision coverage.