Hey girls!!!!! :bouncing:

I saw that our thread got pushed off the page, so I just had to do something about it!

Cortney - How are your eyes doing? Still using the drops every 2 hours, or have you been able to stretch it out a bit?

Jackie - I hope you are still doing well and seeing lots of imporovement! Do you know if your problem was more tear production, or tear quality? Have you ever had a schirmers test done? I'm just curious because I'm really starting to get frustrated with my tear production! It is still very low and really hasn't improved at all since surgery. If anything, it has gotten slightly worse.

Missy - Hi! I hope that your eyes are doing well!

Michelle :)

Hey Michelle,
I took the disappearance of our thread to be a good sign! Hehehe! If only huh? Thank you for thinking of me! My eyes have both gotten better and kind of given me issues of late. I started using my drops only once every 4 hours a couple months ago or so. Over the past week or so, right around now or maybe about an hour later, my left eye starts feeling grainy (I think that would be the right term for it). It hurts a little. I don't know if it is related to my computer use. I found a **** about a trip a girl that is friends with one of the DJ's on my favorite radio station was on (around the world) for the past year and some months. Anyway, I am playing catch up reading about her travels and, I think I might be neglecting the blink. So, I think that that could have something to do with it but, I am not sure. The pain/grainy feeling lasts for about an hour or more. Otherwise, they seem pretty good. I still have to use my space heater next to my desk to generate enough heat in my freezing cold office to keep me comfy. The bosses like it cold in here. So, it could be my space heater causing me some issues. But, I try to keep it far enough away from my desk that I only feel heat in the room, not directly on me. I think the worst time of the day for me are first thing in the AM but, I would trade issues during the day for only issues in the AM. It is an annoying way to wake up in the morning (or anytime throughout the night that I may have to get up) but, I would rather only have to put up with it once a day if I could. That would be great!

I'm sorry to hear/read that you are still having tear production problems. I have kept you (any all the other dry eye sufferers) in my thoughts. It is nice to know that we aren't alone in our suffering. Does that sound wrong? I am hoping that you know what I mean. It isn't nice to know that someone else in the world is in pain. Just that you aren't alone and there are people you can commiserate with.

Just remember that my eyes continue to get better, and I do still have fall backs and I am over a year into my healing. Hopefully that provides you some comfort in knowing that, it should get better.

Take care!

Hi girls :wave:

I'm still doing really well most days. Had a off dry yesterday with my right eye feeling really dry and bothering me, but its better today. I'm having to take lots of allergy meds because things are in bloom here. Really not drying me out as much as it did last year though, so I definitely can see an improvement. Hope that gives you some hope! I was beginning to think mine would always be like that.

I think that my oil glands must be doing a little better because I haven't had any of the burning or grittiness lately, just the regular irriating dryness. I am still having some trouble with pesky glare from lights. .

I had lasik surgery in November '05 and my eyes were pretty dry when I went for my first couple of check ups. Some of it had to do with the fact that while I was at work, driving, out with friends, etc., eye drops beacame really inconvienent and it messed up my makeup. I finally found something called Nature's Tears which is an eye mist. It takes seconds to use, and won't drip out of the eye like drops do. I keep this mist everywhere - my purse, in the car, by my computer, and use it as often as I can. The best thing is, when I went for my last checkup, my doctor told me that my eyes looked GREAT! Hope this helps/works for you guys too!

Hi Missy,

I have never seen that. Sounds good though because I hate the drops running out my eyes all the time, and messing up my eye makeup! I will have to look for that. Thanks for the tip! :)

Sounds like you are doing great! I'm glad.

Hi Missy!

I'm glad that you posted...I've been wondering how everyone was doing! How often are you using the drops now? I'm still at around every 2 hours...on my good days though sometimes I forget and end up using them about every 3 or so depending on when I remember! I really hope that your appt. on Wednesday goes well! I'll be saying lots of prayers for you!

Right now I'm plugless. I have an appt. with that doc in 2 months, and will go in before then for the plugs if I feel I need them. I have a feeling that I'll break down and get them at some point soon. But for now, I'm just gonna see how I do without them. My eyes are pretty crappy right now though :( .

Jackie and Cortney, I hope you are doing well!!!

Michelle :)

Missy,
It is good to hear from you! I am doing really well. I had some issues last week but, it is allergy season and I think that had something to do with it as the hard rain from last night left tons of pollen at the bottom on my driveway! Hehehehe!

I am only using my drops as needed which is usually first thing in the AM and as I plunk myself into bed. I had to use them a few more times throughout the day last week but, I am hoping that it was just an allergy related set back. They seem fine today. It may also have been the new need for the AC. Who knows. Only time will tell. It was a really good weekend for my eyes and it has been a good day thus far.

As for what I use, just the Systane. I don't use anything different at night. I should try the gel at night. I can't use the ointment because it really irritates my eyes. I might try to find that gel sometime and give it a shot. I do hate the egg shell kind of feeling I wake up with in the AM. I have been trying to use my drops sometime in the middle of the night if I get up to use the bathroom or if I just wake up. It seems to help with the egg shell feeling first thing. But, if a gel will make my wake up even more comfy, I am willing to give it a shot. I just don't want to have a set back like I get when I try the ointment overnight. In the past, when I have tried the ointment, it takes about a week for my eyes to straighten out.

Well, I am glad to hear from you! Take care and if you use the gel, let us know what you think of it!
Take care,
Cortney

Michelle,
I am sorry to hear that your eyes are going through a tough time. I am thinking of you and hoping they straighten out soon! Just try to keep positive. It does change! I thought it never would for me and that I would be dependent on drops for the rest of my life but, I turned a corner just like that without expecting it. I still have to use my drops about twice a day but, I am hoping that will come to an end some day as well!
Take heart and take care!

I use the Bion Tears about every 3 hours or so right now. Sometimes I use them a little more if my eyes feel irritated.

Hey girls!

How's it going? Just wodnering if anyone had any exciting updates recently. I'm still doing OK. I have my good days and my bad days. Recently I have had some good days that are better than I can remember in a long time, so maybe that is a good sign. At the same time, I'm still having alot of real bad days, so who knows? :rolleyes: This week has been pretty bad for some reason. I guess I just gotta try to stay patient. Anyway, I hope you are all doing well!

Michelle

Hey girls!

I just wanted to bump this post. How is everyone doing? Any recent progress. I'm still struggling badly :( , but trying to keep hope. I'm almost 11 months out now.

-Michelle

Michelle, I'm sorry that you aren't feeling your best right now. Having dry eyes is very up and down. Hang in there!

Missy,
Good to hear from you again! But, I am sorry that the news on your end isn't much better. I'm sorry you are having to schedule your days around your eyes.
I really think that my problem has to do with something at work. What it is, I have no idea. All I know is that I didn't use my drops once on Saturday. Not even when I first got up. So, I can only guess that one thing is that I need to be able to sleep in or something. It seems that the later I can get up, the better off my eyes feel right out of bed. And, there were no problems all day long either Saturday or Sunday. But, now that I am at my desk back at work today, surprise surprise, they are weird again.

I might try the Genteal gel. I just hesitate because I bought a tube of the Bausch and Lomb Moisture eyes gel back months and months ago and, every time I ever tried that stuff, my eyes were worse off for about a week. But, it could just have been the blend. So, I might go with your suggestion. But, I can't do the mask. It was really difficult for me to sleep in the one after the surgery. I never sleep well and, because my eyes are so sensitive to touch, I would feel it on my eye lids (whether it touches them or not) and go berserk! I bought one just after the surgery to replace the one they gave me, and it didn't work out for me. Heheheh!

I hope you start feeling better soon! I am doing better than I was a year ago, and even a couple months ago. But, I still have issues that I hope will resolve sooner rather than later!

Take care and keep in touch!

Hi girls, I'm new to this site. I had a tear test done yesterday and was told that I have dry eyes. They put me on Restasis and I'm also taking Biotears vitamins. I'm just about at 4 months since surgery. I didn't really know what was going on because dry eye symtoms are very painful and I think that they can be confused with other things. I get a prickly feeling under my eyelids, do any of you have that, and how long has it been since your lasik procedures. I just need to know that someone out there is going through this and that there may be light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks

Hi Goba!

Welcome! I'm so sorry to hear that you are having dry eye problems though. Sorry that no one responded sooner, but we don't check this thread quite as much as we used to. This is actually a new thread that was created off of our original thread started back in July that had over 700 replies! We really kept each other company during the worst of our dry eye episodes! So, we all understand how hard dry eyes can be. The good news is that there probably is a light at the end of the tunnel. I am 11 months from surgery. I still have dry eyes and unfortunately mine have not improved much, BUT...ALMOST EVERYONE improves. Some of the other girls who post often in this thread have, and the large majority of people do. I'm still keeping hope that I will improve as well, and from what I've read it is still VERY possible that I will. At 4 months out, you are still VERY early in healing...you have plenty of time for your eyes to get better!! I think that mine are just being stubborn and taking longer than usual. Some people are just much slower healers than others. Hopefully you will be out of the discomfort zone in a few months. You just need to be patient and take extra good care of your eyes in the meantime.

Is your dry eye causing alot of pain? I hate when mine is like that because it is so hard to focus and concentrate when your eyes hurt. I do get the "prickly" feeling you are talking about...kind of like my eye is scratching around in my eye socket. Sometimes it also feels like there is something in there, like an eye lash or something, but it is just the dryness. There are so many things that you can try to help relieve your symptoms though. I see you are on Restasis and supplements, that is a good start. What kind of drops do you use, and how often? You need to make sure they are preservative free if you use them often. Do you need to use gel or ointment at night? Are you a student, have a job, etc.? Sometimes lots of computer usage can make the dryness worse. Make sure you blink often when at the computer alot. This will keep your eyes from drying out. At work, I have a humidifier in my cubicle also which I think helps.

There are so many other things you can try...protective eye wear, warm/cold compresses, punctum plugs, etc. It is hard to suggest anything though until we know exactly what your symptoms are. What tear test did you have done? Schirmers or TBUT? Do you know what your score was? Anyway, if you want, write back and give us more information and we can try to suggest some other things for you to discuss with your doctor that might help you get through this rough patch. Let us know, we've all been there and can hopefully help you out!! :) Also, if you have any questions, just let us know!!

-Michelle

Hi Michelle, Thank You sooo much for replying. You are so sweet I almost cried to know people do care!!! I had the Shirmers test done and he just showed me the strip and said my eyes were dry. I use Genteal PF drops, so far they seem to help the most. I have to use Muro ointment at night because of the erosion, which has gotten better. Thank God you didn't have that because for 2 months I was in constant pain. I use drops about every 2 hours now. By night my eyes are worse. I am a hairdresser which I know is probably not helping, but staring at a computer all day is hard too. I truly so far can't remember a day that my eyes have felt what I call normal. I hope that improves, and your message has given me hope. My doctor did say we could try plugs but I decided to try the Restasis first. I also have epethelial cells under one flap that they are watching. So as you can see that whatever side effect I could have I did!!! I will keep you posted and really appreciate the input. I feel better already talking to you !!!

Hi Michelle, I hurried and wrote back this morning, but now I have a couple of questions. What did your doctor say about the healing time. Do you think that you have improved at all over the past few months? Have you tried the plugs and if so did they help. It definitely has been a character builder. I get mad at my self sometimes for doing this to myself, but it is too late for that and I have to try and think positive. I'm going to a smoky place tonight, which is freaking me out a little. Do you have drops that you like better than others? Thanks for any input. Today was not such a good day, I felt like I have bumps under my eyelids. Thanks again

Hi Goba,

So, if your shchirmers test is low, it must mean you dont' have enough tears. That is my problem. My schrimers test is usually below 5mm, which is pretty low. I really wish that I could tell you that I've seen improvements over time, I just really haven't though. I do think that most people do see improvements by the time they are 11 months out like me, I must just be slow. Honestly, my dry eye wasn't that awful in the beginning. I think it was a case of me just not feeling it because none of my corneal nerves had grown back yet. I know that my vision fluctuated alot more in the earlier months, so maybe my eyes were really dry, I just couldn't feel it quite as much as I can now. Please try to stay positive though! Ofcourse most of the stuff you look up on line says the dry eye should go away in 3-6 months. Well, once you really start getting into people that have serious problems (like we all do), that time frame gets extended a bit. My surgeon told me he has never had a patient NOT get better by 1 year post-op. I guess I will be that first one that didn't! :eek: But seriously....I've met alot of other people on other sites, and many of them had completely horrible outcomes when it came to dry eye, and eventually most of them did see improvements, it just took along time. Some of these people did not see any improvement until after 1 year post-op and even continued to improve well past that. Again, that is rare, you really should see lots of improvement in the coming months. I wasn't throwing that other stuff in there to scare you, but just to let you know that there is hope! It just might take some time for thing to start feeling better again. I am no longer seeing my surgeon because I didn't feel he gave proper post-op care. The doctor I'm seeing now says that most of the nerves should be regenerated by 18 months, so even she thinks I still have a good shot at getting much better.

I have heard that the Muro is good for erosions. Yes, I was lucky not to have to deal with those. I can only imagine how painful they must have been. I use drops about every 2 hours as well. I have probably tried every on available, but right now I usually use Bion tears, the preservative free kind. I also use the Systane Free Liquid Gel sometimes too, it is a bit thicker than regular drops and seems to coat well. At night, I sleep with GenTeal gel and a sleep mask over my eyes to make sure they stay shut. Since you are using your drops so often, you really should be using preservative free stuff. Sometimes preservatives can irritate your eyes even more. I think that the Genteal PF ones that you mentioned are preservative free, so that is good. My eyes are usually also worse at night just because they are so tired and worn out from the day. Some days I just come home from work and totally crash because I can't stand it anymore! I also have epithelial cells and metal debris under the flap in my left eye. I guess the cells have not grown, so my new doctor does not seem concerned about them. I think that the longer out from surgery you are, the less of a problem it may be, but it is good that they are monitoring them just incase.

I see that you are a hairdresser! WOW!!! That must be murder on the dry eye. I put off getting my hair cut and highlighted for months because I was dreading it. It was awful having those chemicals, and then a blow dryer hanging out so close to my face! My hair dresser must have thought I was an idiot for closing my eyes during half of it. You should be very careful since there is probably alot of hairspray and stuff floating around in the air. Do you do eye lid scrubs? That might help because if chemicals and sprays you work with settle on your eye lashes, they might cause further irritation to your eyes.

About the plugs, I had three month temporary ones from December-March and I think they may have helped me a tiny bit. I only had the lower puntcum plugs. A few weeks ago, I got the silicon ones with the little cap, and I'm having some problems there. It is only because my doctor was very inexperienced though, and did not know what she was doing. The plugs migrated down into the canal (acutally the doctor pushed them in there...that was her mistake) and my new doctors can't really locate them. I'm seeing an ocuplastic surgeon in a few weeks to determine where they are and how to get them out. However, I would not discourage you from trying them...but ONLY the ones with the cap and make sure you have a good doctor. It is not a good idea to get the ones that go all the way into your canal, because then you might end up like me...in a situation where you dont' know where they are, and not sure if they are still there, still working etc.

I know what you mean about a character builder. This has been a huge test for me, and I am failing miserably. I feel alot of guilt for having my surgery, and the pain from the dry eye is just so unbearable at times. It is crazy how much your life ends up revolving around your eyes when they are hurting. It has been a very depressing experience, BUT I'm trying to keep hope and hang in there and belive that better days are coming. As for your night out in the smoky area...hmmm...sometimes this goes OK for me, sometimes it doesnt'. I would just say to take lots of drops with you and make sure you use them often if you need to. ALso if you are drinking alchohol try to drink a glass of water for every drink you have. This may keep you from dehydrating from the alchohol. If your body is dehydrated, then chances are your eyes will be too!!!! I have had several occasions where I was freaked out and thuoght my eyes were gonna be awful because of somethign I was doing, or somewhere I was going, and I actually did quite well, so hopefully that will be the case for you too.

I'm sorry you had a rough day, but I hope you can still enjoy your night! My day was actually half decent today. I've been in a huge rut lately, so I was very thankful for the bit of relief! I think I've covered most of your questions...and probably rambled on quite a bit more than I needed to, but I hope this helps! Write any time! :) I Hope you have fun tonight!

-Michelle

Michelle, Thanks for all of your input. I actually traveled 3 hours to go to the doctor that I did for the surgery because he is so good. I still think that he is and he has been there for me through a lot, but I had to find a doctor closer to my home and I just saw him Monday. He is the head of the opthamology dept at our medical center. He was a doll, and I really liked him. So, hopefully he will help me along. My evening went fine, but was ready to get out of there, and came home and did hot compresses, that helps me. I will keep you posted and hopefully you will start having some good days. I think we will get better, but time is not flying by like it used too. Take care and thanks again. goba

Hi Goba,

Yes, from the sounds of what you are doing and your treatment and all, it does sound like your doctor is handing things well. Glad you found someone closer to home though. I think I'm about to go do a hot compress too!! It sounds like you are doing alot of the right things, so I guess that is all we can do..just take the best care of our eyes that we can! When I found this board, I was about 4 months out from my surgery and I didn't know a thing! The girls on here had to give me all kinds of suggestions and stuff, so you are already way ahead of the game knowing how to treat the dry eye. The doctor at my lasik place gave me very few suggestions, so I was in the dark until I got a second opinion and found the girls on this site! Anyway, glad you had a nice night...I'm off to compress and go to bed! :yawn: Have a nice holiday, and I hope that your eyes are comfortable too!

-Michelle

I think that it would be a good idea for you to try punctal plugs. I have had them for awhile now. I have the ones that Michelle described with the little flat top that pokes out. They are permanent plugs. You could also try the ones that dissolve after a few months.

Dear Missy and Michelle, Hi, well just to keep you posted I went back to my doctor on Friday because my eyes were hurting sooo bad. Well, he did a tear test again. His intern had done the first one and he didn't leave the strips in for very long at all. So the doctor did another one and my test was normal. He said that he didn't think that I had dry eyes!! Well, now he thinks that I am having an allergic reation to the muro, because I have used it for 31/2 months day and night and it is very strong. So, he took me off the restasis and the muro. The only thing that I am using is the genteal pf drops and genteal gel at night because of the erosion problem that seems better. So we will see if this does the trick. That prickly feeling I was having was under my eyelids and he could see something that was irritated like an allergic reaction would cause. So, anyway I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the problem and soon I will have some pain free days. Thanks for all your help. I will let you know the outcome. I hope you are all having a good weekend. Goba

My girlfriend at the time and I had the LASIK surgery in Canada in May 2000. We were both heavily myopic - I was about -6 and she was something like -7! Back then the latest generation B&L Lasers with on-the-fly tracking of contours of your eyes were available only in Canada (not yet in U.S.), and the price was only about $1000. for BOTH eyes, so it was a no brainer. Off to Canada!

We were both deemed good candidates for the surgery with thick corneas and not too steep contours, etc. Good tearing.

The night of the surgery my eyes flat out HURT as if they were filled with sand, but within a day the pain was gone and the dry eyes disappeared within a couple of weeks. She had a similar experience, although my vision was already clearing up the day after the surgery (I could read license plates from far away as we were being driven around at night even), while she pretty much had to be led around like a bind person.

We both went to as good as 20-15 within 90 days of the surgery. However, she went downhill rapidly after that and was -2 or even worse myopic within 6 months of surgery. The place we went to had a lifetime guarantee for subsequent surgeries, but she was over it and decided to just go back to wearing contact lenses. So, for her, the surgery was a failure.

For me, I stayed at 20-15 for a year or so, then 20-20 for a couple of years, and then gradually my vision drifted to as bad as 20-35 at night. I am in my thirties. Right now my close up vision is exceptional - supposedly astonishingly perfect, but at night I need to get some glasses, especially for driving.

I can't go back for that lifetime guarantee because the place in Canada went bankrupt. The reason I hesitate on another surgery locally is that supposedly if I do this my myopia will be corrected but then my superior close up vision will go back to the average vision of someone my age. Remember that 100% of people need reading glasses as they age. For whatever reason my close up vision is locked in to something so crystal clear that the doctors are shaking their heads and saying I may never need reading glasses at this rate, UNLESS I do another LASIK. So, I hesitate to go in for surgery when I'll just have to switch the current need for far away glasses with close up ones.

I really hope that changing the Muro and Restasis helps you. If you are having an allergic reaction to them then that could be the problem.

Hi Michelle and Missy, Well I'm still struggling here. It does seem a bit better, but I have a spot on both my eyes, and it almost seems that it is the same exact spot on both eyes that is giving me fits. I also had a bad burning day on Friday afternoon. I know that this is a dumb question, but what were some of your dry eye symtoms. I do think I used the Muro way too long as the doctor ordered. It draws moisture out of your cornea. So hopefully it didn't do something funky to my eyes. I admire your courage and am trying to stay positive. I had to stop the genteal gel at night until my eyelids clear up. So that may not be helping my little spots. Anyway, I'm trying to do the normal day to day and be positive. It has been 4 months since my surgery. Thanks for all your help and input. Goba

Hi Goba,

Sorry to hear that you had a rough day. I'm not doing so hot today either. But that is definitely normal. You'll have to get used to the ups and downs for a while until things even out. Hopefully that will be soon for you. I saw in another post that your tear scores were 18. Was that the schirmers one? Where they put the strips of paper in your eye? I noticed that you just joined up on Dry Eye Zone. I post as Shells over there. :) The people over there are great. I think overall it is good that you are off the Muro. It can mess with your tear film, but any damage should not be permanent. Give it a few weeks without and hopefully you'll notice a difference.

-Michelle

Hi Michelle, Yes that was the strip one. I'm wondering if the muro did do funky things to my tears and it may take a bit to get better. You guys are so knowlegable on these sites that it really helps to get the input. I know that 18 is normal , but my eyes were really prickly under my lid, and I have two spots on both eyes that get very irritated. The wierd thinf is that they are both about in the same spot. Anyway, I just pray alot and do everything that I'm supposed to and keep talking to you guys for guideance. Thanks and have a good night. Goba

Hi Goba,

Did they do a tear break up test (TBUT). That show how fast your tear evaporate off of your eye. Even if you have enough tears, they might not be good quality tears. That may be your problem. Do you do warm compresses and lid scrubs and all? Or has your doctor mentioned if you have something called blepharitis? Me and Missy both have problems with that too, and there are other things you can do to help that.

Hi Michelle, They have just done the strip so far. I haven't been told that I have blepharitis. I go in to see my doctor next Monday and I will ask him about those things. I almost bought the Bion tears today, I may have to give them a try as these are really thick. Thanks for the hints I appreciate them. I'll keep you posted. Goba

Hi Goba,

I bet that maybe the TBUT will be your problem then. It depends...it is also possible to get a false reading on a schirmers test depending on how your doctor does it. If they used a numbing drop, then it was probably close to correct, but if not, your eyes could have just been reflexing tearing from the strips which would cause your result to be higher. If you really are an 18mm though, you are in good shape in that department...I'm usually below a 5mm :eek: . However, if you have problems with your tear film that can make your eyes feel just as irritated. A small amout of tears can go along way, but they have to be the RIGHT KIND of tears. The TBUT test is really quick...they just put dye in your eye and tell you to blink, then keep your open as long as you can. They can tell by looking through the slit lamp how long it takes your tear to evaporate. If it evaporates quickly, then there could be a problem with the oil layer of your tear. This layer comes from your meiobian glands which are along your eyelids. The warm compresses are supposed to loosen up the oils in these glands so that they flow better. So, specifically ask your doctor for a TBUT and about blepharitis so you can properly treat it, if you have it.

Yes, you might as well give the Bion tears a try. They are not very thick, so you might like them better. I really haven't found any drop that I love, but Bion tears dont' blur my vision like the stuff I was using before them which is why I stuck with them. It is tricky trying to find the right drop, and yes, very expensive! You know, that Dry Eye Zone site has drops called Dr. Holly's drops (Dwelle, Dakrina, and NutraTear). You can order them off that site. They seem to have helped TONS of people that post over there. They are not preservative free, but apparently the preservative is very mild so it won't irritate even sensitive eyes. I haven't found that they work great for me, BUT you might want to give it a try if you don't find any over the counter drops that you like. I hope that you have a great day tomorrow!!! Hopefully we all will!!!! :)

-Michelle

Hi Michelle, Yes the doctor did numb my eye before the test. He also took a q-tip and wiped my lower lid dry then he put on the strips. I will ask him about those other tests too. I think finding a good drop is tough. I really don't like these refresh cellavic? I think I might try the systane again because I have them, and if they don't help try the Bion. My doctor is really good about samples, so I see him next Monday and maybe he will have some. I put drops in every two to three hours so I hope that will be less at some point. I still think the muro did wierd things to me. Time will tell. Do you sleep with a humidifier? I wondered if that helps. Thanks for everything, today hasn't been too bad for me. Hope yours is good. Goba