Nasal Steroids and Dry Eye?

[Guest]

Just wondering what, if any, effect anyone who has used a nasal steroid spray has noticed on their dry eyes?

Also wondering if being plugged/cauterized lessens the chances of having a nasal steroid impact dry eye... wondering what all of your experiences have been...



Just got a prescription myself for Nasonex... it'll be interesting to see how it goes...

[jenny2008]

i used to take Nasonex and other nasal steriods cause i get so stuffy. i cannot anymore. they dry me out so bad.. but i have sjogrens so if i were you go ahead and give it a try... i just use saline wash now...

[willwork4tears]

I've used Flonase daily for probably a decade. It's also a steroid nasal spray. I've cut back on it before, even eliminating it for a month or so, but I never really noticed any difference in my dry eye. I asked several doctors if I should stop taking it because of my dry eyes and none of them seemed to think it would cause significant dryness. I continue to use it because the nasal congestion I have can be pretty awful and my eyes are dry no matter what.

Try it and see how it goes.

[Guest]

Thanks so much for the feedback guys!

It's interesting... my GP joked that my corneal specialist wouldn't like her very much for prescribing the nasal steroid because it could dry out my eyes even more... but I've checked several sources, and either dry eye isn't mentioned at all as a potential side effect of nasal steroids or it's listed as occurring only very uncommonly. That being said, I suppose if a nasal steroid really can cause dryness in the eyes, someone with eyes that are already freakishly dry would be more likely to be the one person who gets that side effect.

Oh well... I'm going to try it... hoping that IF it can indeed cause dry eyes, the fact that my puncta are 100% blocked would prevent any of it from affecting my eyes. I'm really really hoping that this nasal steroid resolves this chronic cough I've developed so that I can try the Salagen again (had to go off it because it caused this crazy cough to get way worse!)

[jenny2008]

SAAG.. It made my eyes drier but... as soon as i stopped using it they went back to 'normal'... i was probably in the minority anyway.. it wont hurt to try!!! i wish i could still use them!!! especially in these nasty winter months!! good luck girl!

[thomps1]

I went to an ENT 2 weeks ago asking about dry eye and sinuses...I was the first Lasik patient he had seen that had this symptom (ie sore sinuses). He prescribed a steroid spray, which I picked up but haven't used much as I haven't felt the need. However he did mention that one of the side affects is dry eye

Hope this helps

[Guest]

good luck girl!

Thanks! I need all the luck I can get! I suppose we all do, don't we!

He prescribed a steroid spray... he did mention that one of the side affects is dry eye

So there it is again then... hmmm... this will be interesting indeed eye-wise... hopefully the fact that I'm plugged/cauterized will prevent my Nasonex from causing further dryness... I'm thinking that if it can't get into the eyes, then maybe that means no dryness Jenny, were you plugged when you were using nasal steroids?

I want to look into the mechanism by which nasal steroids might increase dryness of the eyes... haven't had time yet though...

[jenny2008]

yes i had plugs and was on all the current meds i take now-cyclosprorine, fish oil.etc....
I would still it though... you will know right away and once you stop the extra dryness will go away...

[Guest]

Thanks for the reply Jenny! So much for my hope that being plugged would prevent any eye dryness issues from the nasal steroids. I'll have to keep my fingers crossed that I luck out and don't experience the same problem you did. I've been using it for 3 days now... so far, my eyes seem the same... hopefully it stays that way!!