Problems with dry eyes?

Hating glasses

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!

littlejmb

Hi girls

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.

azebo

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. .

missy06

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!

littlejmb

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!

azebo

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

sdv

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

Hating glasses

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

Hating glasses

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!

azebo

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.

sdv

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? 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

sdv

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

azebo

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

Hating glasses

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!