Ask Dr Mel: Iritis and recovering from a stroke

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Every week we bring you expert advice from Woman's Weekly health expert Dr Melanie Wynee-Jones. Mel is a GP with 26 years' experience and is the senior partner in a busy surgery in Stockport. This week she answers your questions about iritis and recovering from a stroke.

Q. I've just had a nasty attack of iritis. Do you think it is likely to happen again?

A. Iritis is inflammation of the iris (the coloured part of the eye) and surrounding tissues. Like conjunctivitis, it can produce redness, watering and soreness, but the pain is much more intense, one-sided, and made worse by bright lights. The key difference is that iritis can permanently affect your sight if not treated promptly, so anyone with deep eye pain and/or blurred vision should seek medical advice straight away.

There are many causes of iritis, including infection and injury; it's often linked to autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system attacks normal body tissues (for example, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease or rheumatoid arthritis). So you may need blood tests for these.

Cyclopentolate hydrochloride eye drops will relieve iritis pain by dilating the pupil and relaxing the muscle that supports the iris; steroid drops will settle the inflammation. Dark glasses and painkillers will help, too.

Sometimes iritis is just a one-off, but I'm afraid you may get repeated attacks. These should always be treated by an eye specialist (ophthalmologist).

Q My mother is still very tired and depressed after her stroke, even though she can walk and speak again. How can I help?

A.I think that it's normal to feel low after a serious illness, and tiredness is part of the recovery process. But depression is particularly common after a stroke and affects motivation, enthusiasm and energy levels.

Stroke units are good at helping with these, but once someone comes home, they don't usually get the same level of attention.

I'm sure that you're encouraging your mother to resume normal life, although some changes may have to be made. If she needs help with self-care (for example, getting dressed), she can apply for the Attendance Allowance. This isn't means-tested, and can pay for professional carers who will also provide company and encouragement. Ask family and friends to drop in little and often, and take her out if you can (get a blue disabled parking badge if she can't walk far). Social Services can help you to apply for these benefits.

Ensure her GP knows that she's depressed, as antidepressants can be really effective after a stroke, and new US research says that adding psychosocial/behavioural therapy can halve depression scores in just a couple of months. Your GP can arrange this, depending on what's available locally.

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