My Exp with Alomide

[Delilah]

Hello Everyone,
I wanted to let everyone know that I am trying a new eye drop that costs $70 dollars!! It is called Alomide(lodoxamide tromethamine) it is a CELL MASS STABILIZER, it is suppose to help with those stringy mucus things that we all hate, the sufferes of MGD, Blepharitis, and so far it has made my damn eyes worse!!!!! I got it on Monday and figured what the hell and I would try it, it doesn't burn and I use it 3 to 4 times a day, 2 drops per eye. I am going to use it till it is gone just to see if it may change, but all it has done is made those stringy things more tough to get out of my eyes It states that you cannot use this eye drop forever and that you may only use it up to 3 months. It also says that this eye drop is an antiallergy eye drop but also called a cell mass stabilizer. Also if anyone wants to try this eye drop do not wear your SOFT CONTANCT LENSES!!! It will ruin them!!!
I have noticed my eyes are getting worse and I am very afraid I just don't know what to do? I also know that I told all of you that I was going to try the doxy eye drop but I haven't yet. I got off the Doxy because I was getting yeast infections, for all you men out there you don't have to worry about this one lol Also I have a very, very, very, important question!! I had read in some of your posts that some of you went on vacations or were by salty sea water and claimed that your eyes felt wonderful, where did you go and how long did you stay by the ocean to feel these results? I was planning on just going somewhere by the ocean to see if any changes were to happen.
I cannot afford like a cruise or anything but do any of you think if I just went to like Oregon or California for a couple of days by the ocean would it do the same for me? I am dying here, I will do anything to have my eyes back to normal like they use to be 2 years ago. I live in Idaho of all places and it is EXTREMELY DRY HERE. Please someone tell me where they went and if I would have to spend the money on some tropical island to get relief. Thank you Delilah

[Lucy]

Was this prescribed by your physician? I'm assuming it's a prescription or a pharmacy compounded drug? It cost $70? Is that because you don't have RX insurance, or because your insurance would not cover this particular drug?

Sorry for the seemingly nosey questions, but your details were good and I'm curious about the cost. I get really confused when folks talk of stringy stuff. I know (sort of) what you're referring to. My eyes have no strings of anything, they are just desert dry with no mucous at all. This happened with lasik and it's never changed over 5-6 years. I wonder what the medical explanation is.

[Delilah]

Alomide is perscribed

Lucy,
Thank you for replying and don't worry about the questions I am happy to answer them. First of all Alomide is perscribed and all eye drops like that cost around $70 to $80 dollars, I still have my student insurance but it does not cover meds, it sucks and my insurance will end on August 15th since I am no longer a student because I graduated this year thank god for that. Alomide and Alocril are almost the same only the Alocril costs $80 and its ridiculous because your gambling on whether these expensive eye drops will help or worsen your condition or just do nothing. You are so lucky that you don't have those stringy mucus things, I would rather have these bone dry eyes and no stringy mucus things coming out and obstructing my vision.
I hear all about this LASIK surgery that people including yourself have gotten and it really scares me to even think that you could have someone cut your eyes open I have a couple of friends that have had this surgery and they are fine but I guess its the risk that you take before you have the surgery. The medical condition for Dry Eye or Meibomian Gland Dysfunction is not known. It has to do with the glands in your eyes not producing enough oil and tears. The glands in your eyes are called the Meibomian Glands and there are 25 of these glands in everyone's eyes, they produce a mixture of natural oil and tears to make a natural protective film that covers your eyes.
For some strange messed up reason 2 years ago I had a horrible eye infection, I seen an eye doctor and he gave me eye drops to get rid of it. About 3 days later I noticed these stringy mucus things in my eyes, they even blocked my vision so I would use a tissue to pull them out, I thought nothing of it, but as the months and now years went on it has gotten worse. I went to a specialist and he diagnosed me with MGD, he said it was caused by smoking and I don't believe that as I smoke outside an no smoke gets into my eyes.
I seen him in Salt Lake, Capitol of Mormons and they hate smoking so I figured he would say that, he only spent 15 minutes with me as I waited 2 hours to see him and I was extremely dissapointed, he never told me to try the doxy, just said quit smoking, do warm compresses and use Alocril drops, when I seen that they costed $80 bucks I put it off, now I got the Alomide almost the same as the Alocril and no change.
I do not know why this happened to me all of a sudden, my eyes use to be normal, it just came upon me and I only wished that someone could come up with a straight answer as to why this happens, this Dry Eye, some people with Dry Eye like yourself just have the Dry Eye and others like me have those horrible stringy mucus things that come out. I have tried almost every kind of eye drop and no change. Now I use Nutra Tear and other artifical tears, my next step is Restasis, if that doesn't help I am going to the compound method of a doxy drop.
Lucy, may I ask since you have gotten LASIK are your eyes 20/20? Did the dry eye start after the healing from your surgery? What eye drop do you use? Thank you Delilah

[Lucy]

Lucy, may I ask since you have gotten LASIK are your eyes 20/20? Did the dry eye start after the healing from your surgery? What eye drop do you use?

Delilah, thanks for answering my questions. I have heard of Alocril, so that helps to know what you're talking about.

First, I'm not 20/20 since lasik. For some reason, perhaps because I was high myope-at least in part, my vision has never been 20/20 after lasik. Right after lasik a month or so out, it was 20/30 or so. It's about at that point that the dry eye pain started. I am probably not a good person to reference for lasik results because mine are just the pitts.

I use Dwelle, Dakrina and NutraTear as my every day drops. In addition, I have been using Acular and Restasis since March. I have about 3 or 4 weeks supply of Restasis left and then I'm done. I do not believe it's helping me and the price kills me, even with insurance! This does not mean you should not try Restasis if your doc recommends! It does help some people. However, from reading around the internet, it helps fewer people than it should.

Recently, I had a very distinquised M.D. ophthalmologist/researcher tell me he had only known of one person Restasis has helped. This was in casual conversation and I believe him. But again, it's worth a try but you should wait until you get a job with health insurance and prescription coverage! Restasis is about $115 for a one month supply.

[Delilah]

Thank you Lucy

$115 That is like 2 weeks of groceries for me lol, OMG these compaines are so ridiculous. My good friends grandmother passed last month and her eye drops cost $280 a bottle!!!! This was for Glaucoma though, but still really ridiculous and he asked if I wanted them and I said no lol, I don't have that yet. I was almost ready to give it a try I am so desperate But I thought to myself "dont be stupid Delilah" I have Dry Eye not Glaucoma, but its so bad that I have heard of people wanting to commit suicide!! I have it bad and I hate having to go through this routine everyday but others out there suffer from far worse than I, I just try to stay positive even when I am feeling down, there might be a cure just around the corner Delilah

[Gaye]

To Delilah regarding glaucoma drops

Absolutely do not use glaucoma drops if you do not have glaucoma and the drops have not been prescribed for you! Besides, one of the side effects of many glaucoma drops is dry eye - you don't need it even worse than you already have. Who knows what other problems you could end up with. I am no doctor, but that is like the number one rule of prescriptions - do not use them if they were not prescribed for you.

I don't want to sound too stern, but I would worry that you could do more harm to yourself.

Gaye

[Delilah]

Thank you Gaye

I just barely read your comment and you don't have to worry because I didn't use those drops, I knew better lol. Im just using the NutraTear and other artificial tears, Im still on the NAC and Im trying the doxy again. My eyes haven't changed and I am just trying to deal with it day by day, thank you so much for being so kind and conserned. Delilah

[Gaye]

Glaucoma drops

Hi Delilah - glad you found the post. Part of the reason I was so concerned, is that my ex-eye doctor put me on Xylatan for Glaucoma because I had a slight pressure increase on one of my visits. For two years I used it when I did not have Glaucoma at all, and I think this is part of my dry eye problem. So many of the drugs out there cause more problems than we actually have in the first place. I got rid of the doctor (he was a total jerk) and found a new, more open minded Dr. and have been off the Xylatan for a year now with no evidence of Glaucoma at all. What a waste of time and money (and maybe damage to my eyes).

Take care - Gaye