Idea for getting rid of bloodshot eyes?

[Flick]

I don't know about anyone else, but in my eyes it is always the same blood vessels that are enlarged. I know that there are procedures that use lasers to shrink/eliminate blood vessels in the skin - would this work in the conjunctiva as well? Has anyone heard of this? What do you think?

Hey, if lasers can reshape a cornea and do all that other stuff, why shouldn't they be able to wipe out a little blood vessel?

[indrep]

I don't think so. DON"T use Visine either.

[shells]

Hey, if lasers can reshape a cornea and do all that other stuff, why shouldn't they be able to wipe out a little blood vessel?

Huh! My thoughts exactly. I often wonder how they can reshape a cornea, but can't figure out how to stimulate a lacrimal gland or unclog a meiobian gland! I guess it is all alot more complicated than I really understand though. I'm sure most of us would be willing to pay big bucks to whoever DOES figure it out someday .

[JoeB]

Veins in Eye

Hi,

I've also got the same problem with one blood vessel, an injection they call it, that won't go away. I've tried vitamins, etc. It does get smaller at night, but then any irritation during the day makes it larger again. Any ideas?

[neil0502]

I don't have much on this, Joe, but ... have you tried any of the homeopathic eye drops? Similasan is one name that comes to mind:

http://www.allaboutvision.com/similasan/

http://www.similasanusa.com/

Best of luck!

[JoeB]

Does Similasan work for you.

Thanks Neil. Do you use Similasan and does it work for you?

It says no irritating chemicals, so I hope that means no preservatives.

JoeB

[JoeB]

Great Idea Flick

"Hey, if lasers can reshape a cornea and do all that other stuff, why shouldn't they be able to wipe out a little blood vessel?"

Flick, that's a great idea. If someone would volunteer to have a doctor try this, and then report back to us the results, then we'd have a better idea if this works. Any volunteers?

I couldn't resist. With all the pain we're in, the thought of a 'volunteer' trying this out, just made me laugh.

On a more serious note, if you are interested, pm me and I can supply the details of what I've found by a lot of sluething on the internet. Unfortunately, not much, but there are some ideas out there. I would like to solve it because one vessel on my eye looks really bad. Perhaps we can share notes.

JoeB

[Flick]

I saw a new eye doctor last week and asked him about removing blood vessels in the eye. He said he has cauterized conjunctival eye vessels in the past, so I'm guessing it is possible. He wants to treat me for a bit before trying on me, but at some point I think I'll give it a whirl.

[SusieD]

Give me his number!

Is this a laser thing then? Wonder how much that would cost!
Keep us updated if he does try anything.

[neil0502]

Hey, Folks ... forgive me, but I feel like shooting off a flare gun.

Apparently, I have redder eyes than I thought (my near vision isn't very good!), but I don't consider them to be awful, so ... apologies if I'm over-simplifying or seem to be minimizing this additional hardship that so many of you/us face.

BUT ... if these procedures are unusual, untested, uncertain, done by the same lasers that are KNOWN to induce dry eye and corneal hypoesthesia, AND the issue that we're talking about (devastating or not) IS cosmetic, rather than functional ... then ... please go slowly ... and do your homework ... and get second opinions ... and stuff like that.

The LAST thing I want is to have people come back to the DEZ with yet another tale of an "elective" surgery worsening their condition.

Take good care ... and be careful

Neil

[Flick]

I guess I should give a few more details about what the doctor said. I believe the cautery is thermal, and is done on the edge of the conjunctiva (hopefully as far away as possible from the cornea). I asked about risks and complications, but he didn't get into it, because he's not a big fan of the procedure because he thinks the vessels will just return later.

I agree with Neil, and I hope nobody rushes off to have this done rashly. But it is an option, which was nice for me to hear, since I have several blood vessels that won't go away.

If I find anything else out I will post it.

[kakinda]

Redness is a cosmetic issue so couldn't agree more with Neil.

Ok, let me try to simplify this rahter complex issue if we were to go into details.

Much more serious that, is the underlying reason why one has red eyes. The problem is not red eyes but rather what causes them. If you eyes are red it's probably because it's facing an aggression, and the blood vessels are there to fight and to cope with that aggression. In some exceptional causes too much inflammation is a nuisance and become a problem (this is in part why doctors use cyclosporine). But has said, usually, this natural reaction of the body is there to fight the aggression, if you suppress that mechanism, maybe your eyes will look brighter for some time but you'll one weapon less to fight dry eye agression (I suppose you have limited or poor tears).

Take care,

[SusieD]

I dont think this kind of procedure is readily available anyway so no-one is going to rush about booking an appointment!

For me, the redness makes an already miserable condition even more so, so it doesnt need to be underestimated. What I cant understand is why some people with 'severe' dry eye dont get any redness or any outward signs at all that their eyes are stuggling.

The redness issue is one of those things that unless you have to deal with it - you dont appreciate it - why would you? I often think Id cope better emotionally if my eyes didnt look so inflamed every time I look in the mirror. Its obvious to me - and people are always saying I look tired. It just an extra hassle I could do without. How the hell my doctor can say my dry eye is mild when they are this inflamed is beyond me. I really despair sometimes.

[kakinda]

1. What I cant understand is why some people with 'severe' dry eye dont get any redness or any outward signs at all that their eyes are stuggling.

2. The redness issue is one of those things that unless you have to deal with it - you dont appreciate it - why would you? I often think Id cope better emotionally if my eyes didnt look so inflamed every time I look in the mirror. Its obvious to me - and people are always saying I look tired. It just an extra hassle I could do without. How the hell my doctor can say my dry eye is mild when they are this inflamed is beyond me. I really despair sometimes.

1. it's very likely because their eyes are unable to defend themselves (bloodshots eye are the result of a defence mechanism)... red doens't mean severe eye condition... most mild allergic conjonctivitis cause red eyes... neurotrophic keratis is far more serious than dry eyes and some eyes are completly white (even when facing a major ulceration).

2. I have severe dry eye and my eyes do get red... I'm just saying it's a cosmetic risk you're taking and certainly not worth risking your eyes...
Please don't be offended, but we all have more serious issues to deal with than to think about what people think about our red eyes.. It's a bother but compared to all the rest it's nothing one should risk anything over it... I hope you'll see it this way too someday.

I'm afraid red eyes are better than none at all... safety first looks after.

People will always look at your when you put your drops in public... if people do that too often or too bluntly, i usually ask them if they want a drop too...
they blush and leave me alone.

Your doc could also prescribe you steroids to deal with the redness, but then you'd have to deal with some more serious stuff later (I can tell about ulcers and stuff I may not wiish to get into, believe me).

Your best interest in not in the eye of beholder... not always at least, dry eye sufferers have to live with that.

After some time people start noticing other things about your eyes than redness, for instance, someone recently told me that she had never realized how much my eyes become greener when my eye become red...
I guess it can be assimilated to a nice comment... sort of...
It's all about how you listen to other's statements!

All the best to you,
Kakinda

[neil0502]

I dont think this kind of procedure is readily available anyway so no-one is going to rush about booking an appointment!

For me, the redness makes an already miserable condition even more so, so it doesnt need to be underestimated. What I cant understand is why some people with 'severe' dry eye dont get any redness or any outward signs at all that their eyes are stuggling.

The redness issue is one of those things that unless you have to deal with it - you dont appreciate it - why would you? I often think Id cope better emotionally if my eyes didnt look so inflamed every time I look in the mirror. Its obvious to me - and people are always saying I look tired. It just an extra hassle I could do without. How the hell my doctor can say my dry eye is mild when they are this inflamed is beyond me. I really despair sometimes.

Susie-

I did have severe red eyes, bilaterally, for years. It seems to have resolved somewhat after the cycloplegic drops "broke" my ciliary spasm and my third strabismus surgery re-aligned my eyes. In other words: for me, the redness was an indication of eyestrain more than dry eyes.

I was in commission-only sales for those years, face-to-face with customers who didn't always SAY anything ... but ALWAYS noticed.

Outside of the work world, though, people commented ... all ... the ... time. Well meaning people, sure, but it hurt.

So ... I understand. I was in my 20's and early 30's then, so I wasn't "old enough that it doesn't matter anyway" (not that you ever really can be).

Still, I have to agree with Kakinda. I don't think anybody here is trying to minimize how awful the cosmetic part is, BUT ... let me give you an analogy:

Losing weight is simple: eat well and burn off more than you take in.

Simple, right? But NOT easy. Not in any way, shape or form.

I don't think that means, though, that we still shouldn't shout this from the rooftops.

So ... back to the red eyes:

1) Of course red eyes suck. Of course they do.

2) I think that--at least in theory--it's worth very little risk of additional damage to alleviate red eyes. It might be better (again: I mean to be helpful, not hurtful) to seek help in dealing with the emotional strain of other people's harsh reactions.

I don't think any of us has ever really tried to minimize another's pain--either the emotional anguish, the sense of loss, the physical discomfort, etc., etc. But in this case, I do agree: like losing weight, it's simple ... but ... boy! It sure ain't easy.

If any of you are going through all of what I'm going through (and I know that most of you are), then I just don't want any of you to get *worse*. I've had LOTS of 'you fix one thing, you break another' history. I'm pretty risk-averse now ... especially with the things that really don't functionally limit me.

I believe that--were my eyes that kind of red again--I would get some lightly tinted glasses (non-prescription, if that's what it took) and try to make peace with those before I got aggressive with treatment for the redness.

As always: your mileage may vary.

As always: all the best.

Neil