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Has anyone used Serum drops and Restasis at the same time?

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  • Has anyone used Serum drops and Restasis at the same time?

    I am very frustrated. I started getting dry eyes a year and a half ago and they have gotten steadily worse no matter what therapy I have tried. I can barely open my eyes during the day, can't drive, cant do Zoom meetings or have a conversation with anyone, can't walk because I can't see where I'm going. One eye is worse than the other(anybody else have this issue?). They are not gritty, just sticky, dry feeling and don't want to stay open. Almost like I have severe eye strain. I have tried steroid drops, allergy drops, numerous artificial tears both with and without preservatives, hot compresses, fish oil, doxyciline, Lipiflow, and I just keep getting worse. I try to drink more water and stay off my ipad(I know this probably contributed) I took Restasis for 3 months, but no improvement so now I am on Serum drops for the last two weeks but I am worse than ever. Now I am wondering if I stopped the Restasis too soon. My eye doctor has given up on me, and wants me to see a different doctor, but Kaiser is not seeing anyone right now because of Covid. So was wondering if anyone has the same issues as me and if you have recommendations. Also has anyone used both Restasis and Serum drops at the same time and had success? I just want to have a halfway normal life. I know many of you probably feel the same. Oh, and another interesting observation is I can't have alcohol at all anymore. Even a half of a beer makes my eyes really bad, something about the dehydration effects I guess.

  • #2
    I'm so sorry you are going through this. I have been using Restasis for probably 20 years, and it really does help. I tried the serum tears, and they did not work for me. You may want to think about going back on the Restasis, but check with another doctor if you can. Some opthalmologists are seeing patients with severe conditions. I'm currently using Restasis, Pataday, Lotemax, and Soothe eye drops. I really think a lot of this is systemic, perhaps an autoimmune disorder. You should also check your diet. I, also, cannot drink alcohol. I'm also taking Erythromycin, and also all eye drops are preservative free (no BAK for sure). Hope your eyes get better soon!

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Guest View Post
      I am very frustrated. I started getting dry eyes a year and a half ago and they have gotten steadily worse no matter what therapy I have tried. I can barely open my eyes during the day, can't drive, cant do Zoom meetings or have a conversation with anyone, can't walk because I can't see where I'm going. One eye is worse than the other(anybody else have this issue?). They are not gritty, just sticky, dry feeling and don't want to stay open. Almost like I have severe eye strain. I have tried steroid drops, allergy drops, numerous artificial tears both with and without preservatives, hot compresses, fish oil, doxyciline, Lipiflow, and I just keep getting worse. I try to drink more water and stay off my ipad(I know this probably contributed) I took Restasis for 3 months, but no improvement so now I am on Serum drops for the last two weeks but I am worse than ever. Now I am wondering if I stopped the Restasis too soon. My eye doctor has given up on me, and wants me to see a different doctor, but Kaiser is not seeing anyone right now because of Covid. So was wondering if anyone has the same issues as me and if you have recommendations. Also has anyone used both Restasis and Serum drops at the same time and had success? I just want to have a halfway normal life. I know many of you probably feel the same. Oh, and another interesting observation is I can't have alcohol at all anymore. Even a half of a beer makes my eyes really bad, something about the dehydration effects I guess.
      Restasis (Ikervis in Europe) does work, but takes 4 months to see the benefit. IPL is a better treatment than Lipiflow imo as it seems to target the inflammation. Also, buy some moisture goggles, drink green tea with lemon.

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      • #4
        I am still not convinced that cyclosporine helps that much. In my case, I've been using cyclosporine eyedrops, made in a sterile lab at my local hospital, for almost 7 months and can't really say that it helped that much. It even makes my eyes a bit drier after use, but maybe that has more to do with the isopto tears with which the cyclosporine is mixed to create the eyedrops. Anyway: "Restasis is successful in less than 14% of patients". Maybe my tearing is a bit better because of the csA, I don't know.

        What I am convinced will help is wet heat treatment and other treatments which I explained in another topic.

        I have not tried serum drops, which I suppose could restore nerve damage in the eye(?), but I would recommend you try cold compresses (and keep doing the wet heat treatment, but leave the massage part out of it.) against inflammation - which might be the reason your eye can not start healing - and keeping your eyes moist (moisture chamber glasses at day, eye mask that seals or gel/ointment at night) to stop the desiccating stress to our eyes.
        Last edited by gilles; 22-May-2020, 01:16.

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