Can Dry Eye be Reversed in Time?

[EternalTears]

After diagnoses in March and initial treatment for 9 months using restatis 2x daily and artificial tears, improvement is 70%. Have there been cases where gradually reduced treatment to no treatment over time resulted in the Dry Eye symptoms disappearing where eyes were normal again? Ive been told its chronic for life. No known cases where it was temporary?
thanks

[Rebecca Petris]

Ive been told its chronic for life.

If the "it" in question is each and every type and severity of dry eye, it's incorrect. If the "it" means moderate to severe dry eye that has been ongoing for quite some time and has no identified reversible cause, it's at least a lot closer to correct.

"Dry eye" comes in a wide array of forms and the prognosis can vary pretty dramatically. There's plenty of cases of dry eye being induced by either a surgery or a drug and reversing itself when the drug is stopped or surgery healing is complete. There's also plenty of cases where the main trigger is environmental. Another thing to keep in mind is that what WE think of as dry eye is really dry eye symptoms, and what doctors think of as dry eye is really dry eye clinical signs. These two do not by any means always go hand in hand.

Congratulations on the 70%. Many people here would probably give up an eyeball altogether to achieve that in the other!

[synes89]

This is actually the main question that I've had. My what I think is dry eye was induced due to prolonged contact lens wear (per day) and probably not cleaning the lens enough, let alone using Renu which is probably bad in itself. I've stopped wearing contact lenses in July when it was pretty bad, and it feels like my eyes are very very slowly getting better. But it's so slow I don't know whether there was ANY improvement or whether I'm just used to it by now. Then again, I am waiting out at least 6 months, and that hasn't passed yet, so I'm hoping for the best.

I really really hope that time will eventually reverse my condition and your condition as well. What was your dry eye induced by?

[EternalTears]

My dry eye was brought on by chemotherapy between Oct 2008 and Jan 2009
I began to feel the severe effects of dry eye about 8 weeks after completing the chemo.

[grandsporta]

Stevens Johnson syndrome for me. Although I have a lot more problems than just dry eye, but that is about 90% of the problem.

[catlover]

"let alone using Renu which is probably bad in itself"

I haven't ever read anything about Renu. Is there more I should know? I haven't worn a contact in my bad eye for 6 months, but Renu is what I used to use.

[synes89]

Open some of these links:

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&safe=of...5aa4278f68e4a4

I know this is old, and it's for an old formula, but Renu has been recalled before for containing contaminants that caused some people to nearly go blind. I don't mean to scare you, and I'm sure that the solution is clean now, but in my personal experience, my troubles began after I switched from Alcon Opti-Free to Renu.

If I ever get back to wearing contacts again, I will not touch any of those saline multi solutions, and will only buy ClearCare which is by CIBA Vision. It uses peroxide that totally cleans out your contacts overnight.

[msienkiewicz]

ETERNAL TEARS,

I had an accident which caused my dry eye to flare; but looking back, it was a preexisting condition - the excessive tearing and swelling of the eyes was always there. I just didn't know I was symptomatic as I was not in any discomfort.

My doctor put me on restasis. I used it for approx 6 months and gradually tapered myself off.

My eyes are like yours 70% improved. I still have dryness, but it is tolerable. I have a small scar in my eye which bothers me every morning and from time to time - a foreign body sensation. I believe it continues to cause me inflammation.

I have weaned myself off of everything now for about the last 2 months or more now.

Things are not perfect by any means, but I have moved on with my life - not letting my eyes dictate the day. I have even given up my goggles for now.

I am blessed to have perfect vision which was not impacted by my accident or the dry eye so I press on and give thanks for each day.

I don't know if anyone will ever be 100% after the agony of dry eye, but I feel blessed to be where I am and pray that I never return to that desert place.

Blessings and continued healing to you,

Melissa

[rhad]

yea, I believe it can be reversed in time..