dry eyes

[mlzippy7]

Does anyone else experience dry eyes? My eyes burn a lot. I had seen an eye doctor a year or so ago and they said I had dry eyes and to use drops.
I have tried several different drops and nothing has really helped.
Does anyone else have this? What has helped you the most?
Thanks

[Katrina]

What meds are you on? yes I had/have the problem as well....gave up contacts.

I am trying to look through my list of things because I know many of us have had to deal with dry eyes because of meds and ofcourse allergies. Wish I knew for sure what helped but I don't know atm.

[muxerr012]

I too have dry eyes and have had tear duct inserts placed in my eyes and was given prescription drops called Restasis to take. VERY expensive drops! They also gave me a prescription steroid called Lotemax. I've been on them a year and my eyes are getting really bad again. Big red/yellow bumps! I go back to the eye doc next month and will see about getting something better.

You need to go to any eye doctor though because I lost vision over this! My eyes were so dry and damaged that my vision dropped from 20/20 to 20/40 sometimes 20/50. I paid $3900 10 yrs ago for lasik eye surgery so the vision loss is most upsetting! PLEASE go to an eye doctor ok?

[mlzippy7]

I guess I will have to go back to the eye doctor. I only have one good eye. The other one I had a virus in when I was a baby and lost vision that they couldn't repair. So I worry a lot about my good eye!
I am on a long list of meds which I am sure are playing a part in it.
Thanks

[snowgirl]

I have dry eye terrible as well. Restasis made me itch all over I was allergic to it. But lotemax that you mentioned that one works good it has a steroid in it. I also like genteal eye drops for moderate relief. Vicky

[sandberg4]

I started having dry eyes and a dry mouth around the time I went off my estrogen. I've read since then that both of these are symptoms of low estrogen. I'm going back on it so I'm hoping it will solve my problems.

[bigred]

I don't know if I actually have dry eyes but my eyes burn almost constantly. especially if I go outside without my sunglasses. I will be having my eyes looked at again in March.

[muxerr012]

vickyvale-The best new over the counter eye drop I have found is called Optive!!

sandberg4-I am on estrogen patches for 7 months now and this has not helped me combat the dry eye. If your situation does not improve, please see an eye doctor. I never knew how big of a deal dry eye could be. Moisture in the eye prevents dust particles from causing damage to our eyes. I have now had 2 eye ulcers to the cornea which nearly caused me blindess! I got them because there was not enough moisture in my eye. Had to place medicated drops in my eyes every 15 minutes for 24 hours!! That was very painful!

bigred-Burning eyes is definitely a sign of dry eye. I'm glad you're going to an eye doc next month. BE SURE to tell him you think this is a problem for you. That way they will put drops in your eye, will turn the lights off, and the areas behind your eye that have moisture will glow. Thisi s important to have done because it helped stopped my vision loss. If you're real casual about it, the doc will just hand you a small sample of eye drops and you won't fix the problem. Make him/her do the dry eye test. I know this because I've complained of dry eye for over 5 yrs now and no one ever bothered to check me to see how bad it really was. They just gave me these tiny samples and sent me on my way.

Be well all!! (PS...I too go back to the eye doc next month and will share any new treatments or drops with you. It's a problem that progresses, trust me)!

[jen48446]

I use Thera Tears, it was recommended to me years ago by an eye doctor. It helps myself & my husband. I also used to use a eye ointment @ night when it gets arctic here but haven't had to use that in years.

[muxerr012]

Hey Jen,

Yes Thera Tears are great and I take them too (3 a day)!! My eye doc told me about them several months ago. It's weird though because my eyes will do better and then every few months they get really bad again. They get so dry they hurt all the time and I get these red/yellow bumps between the tear duct and cornea (I forget what they call them). Do you know the name of the ointment you used to use and is it prescription? I go back to the eye doc next month and I want to ask him for something else to take because the Restasis and Thera Tears aren't working for me all the time. Thanks!!

[ICNDonna]

I have a son-in-law who is an ophthalmologist and he told us to just be sure the drops we use are artificial tears only --- and to avoid any that say they work for inflammation.

I absolutely agree that you need to see your doctor.

Donna

[snowgirl]

thera tears and optive I have to be careful as my eyes dont like the preservatives. I itched all over my body with restais. My eye surgeon I can never spell it opthamologist wrote me a prescription for lotemax and that wha I use but not often. I try to run the humidifier more or turn up the setting . Vn

[jen48446]

I use the Thera Tears eye drops, haven't tried the capsules. The name of the ointment is escaping me @ the moment however I got it @ Wal Mart & they still carry it. I tried the Duralube & Bausch & Lomb brands & neither worked like the one I used, I think it's in a blue tube?

I agree with the others I'd be working with an eye doc, can't think of how to spell that medically, LOL! if you're not sure who to go to, call your family doc & ask for a referral.

[KimP]

Me too but...

I don't take any meds and the skin below my eyes are dry, whenever I use make up they seem to get irritated more.

Has this happened to those who have IC over time but take very little meds?

[jen48446]

Yep my eyes used to get irritated no matter what I did, once I found the right birth control pill my body gradually "ironed itself" out, it took months however it was well worth it!

If you live in a cold climate, or work in a dry environment that will aggravate things too. My eyes have been drier for about 2 months now however we've also had one of the worst winter's that we've had in years too.