Dry Eyes

[IrritatedByIC]

Does anyone else have dry eyes here? In June, I had a bout with viral conjunctivitis, and ever since then, and even before then, my eyes have been *really* dry. I also have MS (so I'm thinking that there's a connection there with the extra inflammation). Now two months later, I'm still getting junk in my eyes whenenver they get wet from the shower, crying, or just out of nowhere they'll get itchy and the junk starts up again. Not to mention every morning, waking up crusty (not to the extent of conjunctivitis though). I'm wondering now if it's a symptom of dry eye or if I have like allergic conjunctivitis or blepharitis (since I keep hearing 'you don't have conjunctivitis')

Please send a private message to reply. I've been having trouble accessing this section of the board.

Thank you!

[IrritatedByIC]

I'm replying to myself, HAHA!

I went to the Eye and Ear Infirmary and they said that it's just chronic dry eye that's causing my problems (possibly blepharitis - it's hard to say). The gunk and crustiness is from not blinking/producing enough tears. They're sending me to a dry eye specialist. Also, she mentioned that my bottom eye lids are lower than they should be, so it makes it harder for me to blink, more irritants get in, etc.

[SandyRN]

I figured I'd write back here and hope you get it. I have very dry eyes, and part of it is from all the meds I take. I also have some serious allergies. I have so many health problems it's hard to know if it's related to one thing or another. Also, I get this long, stringy discharge out of both of my eyes, all day long but it's worse in the morning, and I can literally pull it out like a thin thread. Sorry, probably TMI, but I can definately relate to the dry eye thing. I'm thinking about asking for Restasis at my next GP's appt.

[IrritatedByIC]

Hi Sandy! Thanks for writing! Yeah. I also have allergies. Yeah, I know what you mean. I still think that it's a bit due to the MS, because that causes inflammation all over your body. I get that stringy discharge too. No problem about the TMI. Thanks for telling me I'm not alone. Yeah I was thinking about Restasis too.

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I have had terrible problems with dry eye and had a hard time getting someone to treat it. I went to one ophthalmologist, but he didn't treat it. (Ugh! I told him I was coming for dry eye and he still charged me.) I asked my GP to prescribe Restasis, and he wouldn't do it, but couldn't refer me to anyone who was treating dry eye.

I am in L.A. with my Dad for a while, so will probably call UCLA. Does anyone have tips for finding a doc to treat it? My GP told mea bout a over the counter opinment which is basically white petroleum and mineral oil in a tiny tube. (You can buy the expensive stuff or the generic as they are all the same it is $3-18/tube) It helps but my eyes are a oily mess because, I have to use it both day and night.

This is probably due to the meds and not drinking enough water to avoid bathroom trips, although, it doesn't help much. I have been trying to add flavour to my water to force myself to drink more, but not much luck with the AC running.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Andrea

[IrritatedByIC]

Hi ADS,

Sorry that you're being ignored. I use Nature's Tears (every hour) and Refresh Overnight Ointment. Hope that helps. :)

KLS

[cosette]

I have struggled with the dry eye thing and contacts getting dry, etc. I second the Refresh PM to be used before bedtime- it helps! Also, he told me to buy a trial size johnson and johnson baby shampoo and wash my my outer eyelids to help break up styes. Like anything else, it's all about maintenance.

[Jamey]

mine started with a staph infection and a sandy feeling. Restasis works for me and I had vision loss that I didn't realize. If I don't wear my glasses my eyes flare up real bad.
and contacts are off limits. Also washing my eyelids with baby shampoo helps when they're really flaky.

[shell]

Jamey,

Have you tried using vaseline on your eyelids? I put a small amount on them every morning to help with dry, flaky lids. It's really worked well so they don't get that way anymore.

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Jamey,

Did you have a staph infection in you eye or a general body one? If it was in your eye I was wondering if they did a lab type test to detect it. (Hope this isn't a stupid question.) My eyes have been dry since taking the pain meds for IC but it became a mess after having eye treatment for an eye disease which required laser and an injection of a drug into the eye. You comment made me wonder if I have had a lingering infection.

ads

mine started with a staph infection and a sandy feeling. Restasis works for me and I had vision loss that I didn't realize. If I don't wear my glasses my eyes flare up real bad.
and contacts are off limits. Also washing my eyelids with baby shampoo helps when they're really flaky.

[Jamey]

ads,
my eye doc. knew what it was as soon as she saw it. Sent culture to lab and it came back "non antibiotic resistant staph". Bacitracin ointment was the only thing that soothed the staph. If you think you have an infection definitely get a lab culture done. and make sure any vision loss is thoroughly checked out. My final dx is blepharitis (oil/dandruff on eyelids) although I think they're missing something. my next step is a procedure to unblock my oil glands. Also, my optometrist helped more than an opthalmologist

shell,

I use an ointment of mineral oil and white petrolatum. It's called pura-lube $3 at wal-mart. Also genteal gel works well.
thanks all and blessed be

[Gingerlily1]

I have very dry eyes that my eye doctor (opthalmologist) said is due to rosacea. I tried everything she suggested. Restasis did absolutely nothing for me (and I used it faithfully for about 9 months), plus warm compresses on my eyes followed by eyelid scrubs with baby soap, plus doxycycline! Nothing worked.

I have started taking flax seed oil and that has helped more than any of the above stuff that I tried, but I still can't wear my contact lenses more than a few hours a week. I also use the preservative-free ampules of Systane, which help.

I've since read that researchers no longer think rosacea is caused by bacteria and are now saying it's an auto-immune disorder, which makes sense to me.

I am going to ask my eye doctor to put plugs in my tear ducts (the ones in the corners of my eye that drain the tears). Has anybody had this done? My doctor declined to do this, because she said my problem is caused by plugged oil ducts that don't let the oil mix with the tears. But I would still like to try it since all the meds were unsuccessful.

[IrritatedByIC]

Sorry to hear that the Restasis/baby shampoo, etc didn't work. I'm a firm believer in alternative medicine. I'm so happy to hear that the flax seed is working for you!

Do you have another auto-immune disease? I have several myself (Multiple Sclerosis, Celiac Disease, some arthritis...) I believe my dry eyes is due to inflammation all over my body.

[Gingerlily1]

Sorry to hear that the Restasis/baby shampoo, etc didn't work. I'm a firm believer in alternative medicine. I'm so happy to hear that the flax seed is working for you!

Do you have another auto-immune disease? I have several myself (Multiple Sclerosis, Celiac Disease, some arthritis...) I believe my dry eyes is due to inflammation all over my body.

My only autoimmune disorders are the IC (which I'm assuming has a strong auto-immune connection) and rosacea.

I think the dry eyes is due to total-body inflammation, too. My skin has been incredibly dry for as long as I can remember (since my 20s at least, and I'm 50 now), I've always had sinus problems (couldn't breathe through my nose prior to nasal steroids), have lots of topical and medication allergies, etc.

The flax oil is supposed to be good for inflammation. I also take a vegan equivalent of one of the components of fish oil (brand name O-mega-Zen). Fish oil has both DHA and EPA, but the vegan supplement I take is just DHA.

The fact that the oils have helped a bit with my dry eyes makes me think they are probably helping with the inflammation in the rest of my body, too.

[IrritatedByIC]

Hi!

Yeah, Flax seed is good for inflammation. How much do you take of that? I'm glad that you can take fish oil too (I can't because of being allergic to fish, LOL). I'm so glad that they're helping all over. :)

[Gingerlily1]

Hi,
The "fish oil" I take actually isn't fish oil :) . It's made from sea algae and contains DHA only. I take 300 mg of that, plus 3-4 flax seed oil capsules spread throughout the day (with meals). Each flax oil capsule has 550 mg of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 oil.

I haven't been able to find anything definitive online that states an appropriate dose. I know psychiatrists working with folks with bipolar disorder prescribe really high doses of fish oil, but I'm a little leery of upping my dose because I've read omega-3s can affect blood clotting, and I'm on Elmiron, which can also affect blood clotting.

[IrritatedByIC]

Hi,
The "fish oil" I take actually isn't fish oil :) . It's made from sea algae and contains DHA only. I take 300 mg of that, plus 3-4 flax seed oil capsules spread throughout the day (with meals). Each flax oil capsule has 550 mg of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 oil.

I haven't been able to find anything definitive online that states an appropriate dose. I know psychiatrists working with folks with bipolar disorder prescribe really high doses of fish oil, but I'm a little leery of upping my dose because I've read omega-3s can affect blood clotting, and I'm on Elmiron, which can also affect blood clotting.

*Oh OK!* :) Wow, that's a lot of mg's! Is that what they suggest? OK. So Omega 3's/Elmiron can thin your blood, or thicken it?

[Angeles]

I use Biotears (fish oil capsules for dry eye). They work for me. FYI It is harder for the body to absorb/metabolize flax seed (the omega in it). I still use though it spilling some milled flax seed on my cereal, but fish oil is better absorved and I belive is vitamine E which has to come along with it to help the absorbsion. Too much of it is not good because it goes to the plasma, there's only so much your body can use at a time. That's why it is not good to abuse specially with supplement since they are not FDA approved to treat conditions and there are so many brands out there you don't even know what's in those bottles! So it it better to go with the recommended daily dosage to kep is safe.
Yes, Elmiron is a blood thinner, but not as strong as i.e Coumadin. I'm my fish oil bottle says to check with your doctor if you are taking a blood thinner like Coumadin. So just check with your doctor.