New to DES

[fernellen]

I am 55 years old. Last fall, cataract and ak surgery on my right eye. Six weeks later, I developed severe pain in that eye. The surgeon said it was blephoritis and suggested warm compresses and sent me on my way. Things progressed from bad to worse. I found another doctor who is now treating me. I have been through doxy, more compresses, every type of eye drop and ointment. He dialated my eyes, look through slit lamp. He said the lids look good, the epithelium cells are good, but I have dry eyes. He tested with the strips and they read zero. What other tests if any should be done?

We are concerned about doing the second surgery. I wear a contact lens in the left eye.

So now I have dry eye in left eye and severe chronic painful dry eye in right eye.

I use a multitude of eye drops and ointments. So far I am functioning fairly well at work (part-time teacher/tutor), though I have my good days and bad days.

I am happy to have found a forum in which to discuss these issues. I just started going to counseling to deal with frustrating and despressing situation.

Fern

[Rebecca Petris]

Dear Fern,

Welcome to Dry Eye Talk!

Did your 2nd doctor suggest any possible cause for reduced tear production besides the surgery? For example, is there any possibility it could be, at least in part, a side effect of a medication or related to another medical condition?

He tested with the strips and they read zero.

Yikes. Is this just the right eye, or both? Seems unlikely you could still be wearing a contact in the left eye if you had a Schirmer score of 0.

You should consider getting tested for Sjogrens syndrome if you haven't already.

Meantime, have a look around the bulletin board and also our Dry Eye FAQ for suggestions on treatments, products and lifestyle mods that can help you cope. Also check out our Dry Eye Shop in case there are products you haven't tried that may be helpful. Different products work for different people but some with severe dry eye have found Dakrina and Dwelle very helpful.

[Lucy]

To Fernellen

We are concerned about doing the second surgery. I wear a contact lens in the left eye.

Fernellen, for clarification, do you have a cataract in your left eye? Is the "second surgery" you are referring to another cataract surgery? Or is this "second surgery" something in your right eye again?

You should be concerned about another surgery. I had lasik in both eyes 6+ years ago with a less than diserable outcome. Dry eyes was also a result of that surgery. I had cataract surgery a year ago on my left eye and am in the position you describe. I'm not too thrilled about going for the same surgery in my right eye. What is your RX in your right eye?

This is indeed hard and changes your life. Dry eyes alone, but with surgery adding to the complications, hooy boy! I'd try and get some sort of comfort going before having any more surgery. Look around here and see other's postings.

You might also try the drops: Dwelle, Dakrina and/or Nutratear. They are available on this site. They have helped many people who try them, not all, but until you try them, I don't think you've done everything you can do.

Good luck. Lucy

[fernellen]

thank you for your replies

My 2nd doctor will do another tear test on both eyes next week. The funny thing is that my eyes look fine to the outside world and I actually have had several good days (drops morning, afternoon and evening; ointment in the late evening). I am starting restasis today.

I have a small cataract in the left eye. We are holding off as long as possible.

I have 20/20 distance vision in the right eye. Middle vision is iffy, close vision is out of the picture (I use readers and have for several years--they were part of my perscription). Stop lights at night have glare until I get up close and depending on how lubricated the eye is I get some starbursts.