Episcleritis?

I think my undiagnosed 6 yr old has recurrent episcleritis. He has had recurring bouts of 'red eye'...I'm not sure for how long as I wasn't really tracking it before I began to really read about IBD. He at least had this happen once or twice in preschool (a year ago at least)..his teacher was paranoid about pinkeye..but it isn't pinkeye. It's not itchy, there's no discharge, and it doesn't bother him at all. Just looks icky. Typically it lasts anywhere from 3-4 days to 10 days and it just appears and disappears on its own. It has been 7 weeks since I last saw it. I only started paying attention to it in about December when we began to seriously evaluate some GI issues. Since then it has only ever occurred in the right eye, and prior to the current episode it is always isolated to the nasal side of the eye. This time it's on the outside of the right eye and he's had this now for 4 days.

He's been seeing a GI because of recurrent/chronic diarrhea, poor growth, and intermittent belly pain. He had scopes - upper EGD was normal and colonoscopy was normal as far as they got but incomplete (terminated at the transverse colon due to bleeding). Bloodwork is normal. We haven't found evidence of IBD but have not ruled it out yet either.

I am attempting to attach a picture and am hoping someone can tell me if this looks like episcleritis. I don't know what else it could be unless he's just repeatedly poking himself in the right eye. (LOL)

If it were IBD associated, would it be directly associated with gut symptoms? Currently we have him on a restrictive diet which seems to be helping some (no dairy or gluten, limited carbs). He's not totally without gut symptoms but he is at a tolerable point - minor pains, very little diarrhea at the moment. I realize episcleritis can occur without ibd but given the rest of it, it concerns me a little bit.

thanks for any thoughts

I've fixed the image for you. Poor little thing

My suggestion would be to get a referral to an opthamologist (NOT an optometrist) who has an advanced understanding of immune disorders and IBD and have them check things out. It could actually help lead to a diagnosis. That, and as episcleritis can lead to vision issues if untreated, I'd definitely have an eye doctor take a good look.

And that the colonoscopy wasn't able to reach the terminal ileum due to bleeding tells me IBD should definitely not be ruled out Are they going to try again soon?

*hugs* to both of you.

Thanks David. I don't think we're going to do another scope anytime soon. The way the last one went, neither we nor the GI are interested in trying it again in the absence of new and compelling evidence. If he does have crohn's then something else will come up.

Dunno about the eye..maybe that is the evidence or maybe it's just a nothing thing. I don't think my son is even aware of it aside from other people noticing. If I were not now hyper I wouldn't probably be thinking about it at all either since it doesn't bother him. Anyway I took the picture because it disappears and I don't think I can get to an opthalmologist on that short notice. I would need a referral and whatever else and the thing would be gone. It is already much faded today from yesterday, making the whole episode only 4 or 5 days this time. At least I have the photo, bad phone picture though it is, to show next time he is at the doctor.

Just wondered if anyone on here thought it looked familiar.

Looks like he got poked in the eye! I hope it's cleared up for good by now. He has beautiful eyes.

Episcleritis is what led to my Crohns diagnosis when I was 20, 15 years ago. It was a lot more severe for me than what your son has. I went through several eye doctors before we figured out what the issue was. I also had very obvious Crohns symptoms (in hindsight), abdominal cramps, major weight loss, diarrhea, upwards of 20 bowel movements a day and bad joint arthritis. It was the eye doctor who put it all together though. So if your son is not sick please don't take my experiences as indicative of things to come, we're all different.

Every once in awhile when I have a flare I'll get a little sensitivity in my eye, I call it my "check engine light".

I really hope he is ok and that theres no connection. Take care.