Calling the YOUNG and Dry!

[DryEyeSurvivor26]

I just started a thread about my experience with Accutane but I would also like to start a discussion for people who are young and suffering from severe dry eye; I think it is important that we come together because as hard as I know it must be to be 40 or 50 and suffering from severe dry eye, I know that I feel so discouraged knowing that I am only 24 and going through this! It feels like it has taken so much from me at such a young age, and yet I am determined to not let it ruin my life; I have worked too hard toward everything I have to let this incurable disease ruin everything I had going for me. I am hoping that help from Boston Scerals will give me some of my life back (ie not having to throw drops in on an hourly basis).

So if you are YOUNG and suffering from debilitating dry eye, please post and share! You are not alone.

[moni]

Heyyy, my dry eye came on overnight. I have the posterior bleph problem. I am 21, never tried accutane or anything so I have no idea what caused it =(. I tried the Boston sclerals with no help, and i am currently doing IPL treaments.
This is lame, its just some stupid backed up oil thats ruining our lives. Are ur glands blocked or not enough oil? Have u tried antibiotics?

[DryEyeSurvivor26]

Hi Moni,

I know it is terrible! But know that you are not alone! I'm sorry the scerals didn't work out for you; where did you have them fitted? I'm planning to try to get mine from Boston Scerals. How many IPL treatments have you had so far and where are you getting them done? If God forbid scerals fail me, then I will be trying IPL as well. Hang in there!!

[DryEyeSurvivor26]

Sorry, to answer your questions -- I'm not sure if my glands are blocked or just not not producing enough oil (it seems like it's hard to get a definitive answer of this from docs); I'm pretty sure Accutane has just drastically reduced the amount of oil I secrete and there is no way to get it back. Antibiotics and steroids don't help. Using FML right now (appropritaley-named drop), but just to get down the imflammation caused by the Restasis... my eyes HATED that stuff!

[moni]

HAHAHAHAHH FML thats hilarious..

I tried the Boston ones, they made my eyelids really inflamed (cause theyre so big). And i had one IPL with Toyos, no difference yet, what do u see when you push on ur eyelids? I see some little white dots. You probably have already tried this, but flaxseed oil helps me feel normal sometimes. Maybe it can revive some of ur glands

[DryEyeSurvivor26]

Oh no! That is discouraging that Boston Scerals didn't work for you! So you now have a pair just sitting around? Did your insurance pay for them at least? I'm definitely worried about the fit but I have to give them a try! Seems like they are great for some people and offer no relief to others. Definitely keep me updated with Toyos; when is your next apt? What did Dr. Toyos have to say about your glands? Did he say you were blocked and that he expected good results with the IPL? I have my fingers crossed for you! Flax & fish oil don't seem to do much for me unfortunately.

I don't see anything when I push on my eyelids (think my oil is clear, I'm just not producing enough; either that or I am just totally blocked). When I do warm compresses I do have blurryness afterwards, which I think is a good thing, unless that is just my eyes' reaction to the heat.

Sorry for all the questions but also wanted to ask -- how long did it take for you to get the apt to be fitted with Boston Scerals? I know my doc has to write them a letter, which I believe he is prepared to do. So once your doc wrote the letter how soon could you get an apt to be fitted?

[FWM]

Me too, my dry eyes are due to allergies, i am under allergy shots treatment atm. and tetracicline.

Before that i tried plugs, omega 3, artificial tears, olopatadine, ciclosporine, steroids, homeopathy, acupuncture, i switched to many religions, to try a new prayer with each one, i ended up agnostic

all you need is love .. (and a high tear break up time)

[fed up kate]

hey

i know how you feel im 26 and i feel like an 80 yr old im so paranoid about it that i hardly go out or socialise or do anythin the only place i feel comfy is in me bedroom with my humidifier on full blast,
i dont drink anymore as wen i do my eyes are extremly worse,i cant wear any eye make.i dont go on holiday cuz of the heat and dryness.
and to top it off ive spent all the money i have on specialists who dont give a crap and fob you off so im not 100% sure on what my actual problem is so im just lost with it all..
also if you guys are in a relationship i think it takes its on toll on that as im so depressed and angry with it i take it out on people im close to.

but i just love this website and feel so much better when i know im not the only young person,i mean at any age its awful but good to know we can help each other out

take care

kate

[cristiandryeyes]

hi im 22 and i have MGD/Bleph/DE/Rosacea. Bleph started like 1.5 years ago, it slowly progressed until i could notice dry eyes. ive been on warm compresses/lid hygiene/antibiotics since then with no relief.

I thought Accutane was responsible for all this, but my DE specialist suggested H Pylori infection so I'm gonna try some tests and see if that nasty bacteria is causing me so much trouble. I hope so, it would explain everything.

The best piece of advice that I can give is to focus on new things, im going to the gym now and it's helping me a lot,i mean emotionally, at least i can be proud of something...im tired of feeling sick...so ive decided im not sick any more....

[moni]

Hey ya, well toyos said i was 90% blocked. I didnt buy the sclerals, I just tried them on, it took me a couple of weeks to get the paperwork/appointment.
Im having a bunch of other problems pop up recently, like sudden oily skin, hair loss, hives...etc. All autoimmune test came normal.. And when I was diagnosed at the dry eye clinic, the first thing they asked for was if there was a fluctuation in my hormones because they were seeing this a lot in pregnant women. I think the hormones cause the sebaceous oil to thicken...I dunno. I just remember I was very stressed out and crying all the time right before this happened.

I also started having stomach problems when all this started, and my mom was just diagnosed with h pylori, so hopefully theres a connection.

[DryEyeSurvivor26]

Moni!!!! I am so sorry!!! I would not be surprised if at least most of the physical symptoms were stress-related!! DO NOT GIVE UP! My friend's mom lost her hair and eyebrows from extreme stress! I have been having lots of strange physical symptoms as well which I believe are stress-induced. And I think it's a vicious cycle: the pain / redness from the dry eye creates a huge amount of stress, which causes our body to react physically, and then not only are we stressed b/c we are having terrible eye symptoms but because our whole bodies seem to have stopped functioning properly; this just induces further stress! Of course see your doc about all physical symptoms, but try to be as rational as you can as well to not stress yourself out more. You're going to be OK!

Kate & Cristian -- hang in there as well! I know how hard it is I totally agree about going to the gym; the worst thing we can do resign ourselves to idleness, but Kate, I feel you on the not being able to go out as easily or wear make up or anything. I occasionally still try to wear make-up but it's a huge hassle. Have you guys tried scerals?

[sazy123]

Hi,

24 here.

tried everything, spent loads of money.

Its ocular rosacea but nothing helps. caused by contacts and antidepressants.

To top it off, i feel like my left eye dryness has worsened and im not managin very well, i prefer burning to the dry feeling, i can block pain out and i can manage burning much better, dryness is so frustrating and it drives you to distraction that you cant do much.

ive been coping well this last year with my eyes, but lately ive been worrying that my left is worse..

[laurenjii]

hi

I remember when I was THREE telling my mum my eyes felt "gluggy". then I dont remember anything more until I was 17 or 18. then they got really bad from 21 – 29! Im 30 now.

if it wasnt for cyclosporin I dont kno what Id do!

hang in there!

[moni]

Thanks, I think is hormonal..or a food intolerance or something. Wow all her hair?? isnt that an autoimmune type of alopecia? wow thats horrible. =(
Yeah im kinda glad in a way the sclerals didnt work out because all my problem is in the lids, and I wanna get them back to normal functioning instead of patching things up you know. I wanna unclog them before theyre atrophied.
I never had any dry eye anything before that day a few months ago, my contacts always felt very comfy, never even felt them.
Gahh I miss my makeup and contacts , i used to be the worst sephora junkie. I hope we find relief!

[cityhunter62]

Hey there.
24 years old, left eye really annoying (buring, dry, scratchy and so on...), right eye okay when I'm not "teasing" him with climatisation, artificial lights and daylong computer use. The disease started 3 or 4 years ago, with a relief break of one whole year (don't ask me why, or how, I dunno, but my eyes were just normal during this one year "break"). It appeared suddenly anyway, and my eyes became dry very quickly (one month time I'd say).
Today I'm unemployed, looking for a job (but not an office environment nor a place with artificial lights), which is quite difficult to find in these conditions. But I try to remain positive, I still have some potential solutions to explore (psychology, homeopathy, restasis, cyclosporine eye drops, science breakthrough, miracle...). However, I have some difficult periods sometimes and I feel a bit depressed, but I have HOPE. Lots of people suffer from dry eye, so science will probably find a solution to the problem one day... We just have to be patient and cope with the disease til this day...

I'm just wondering how you guys are coping with this when you are working (and we have to work at our age), as most of the time it worsen our condition (especially in office environment). I'm trying to find an "outside" job, like postman, gardener or tourist guide, but I haven't done the "right" kind of studies (I couldn't know I would have this disease that would prevent me to work in an office). So the situation is complicated right now...