Eyedrops the only thing i can do says the clinic?!

[sanna]

I am so angry at the clinic where i had my surgery. I have dry eyes and i can not sleep at night. I Had lasek in Dec 2008 and my eyes are more dry now than before the only thing they say is keep using eyedrops until a year or a year and a half when you can come back for a post- op visit. The thing is i can not sleep and i can not work because of the dry eyes.
All of you who had lasik/lasek what do the clinics do for you or not do? I just want some type of info from the clinic on what i can do if maybe plugs, or other medication. I know that there is no cure but i just want someone to try to help me and not just push me away. (I want so much to write the name of the clinic here hmmm.... but i am not going to do that)

I am thinking that they want the time to go and when it has been 2 years there is not a lot that i can do anymore (In sweden we can go to this board and comlpain but it has to be before the 2 years limit)

[Guest]

I recieved that very same garbage (for 4 freaking years!!) from my LASIK surgeon. Don't accept the answer that nothing can be done. Please seek out a new doc.

You can try temporary plugs, or even silicone external plugs - those can be removed at a later date if your eyes get better. You can also try a course or oral tetracyclines. Lastly, you could try heat treatments for your meibomian glands, followed by gland expression. Oh! and if Restasis is available, that is yet another option.

Do not accept the advice that all you can do is use artificial tears.

Good luck!

[Sammy B.]

Drops are not your only option

Sanna,

My LASIK doc's office told me the same thing - "just keep using the drops" and "there are tons of types of drops, you'll eventually find one that works!" None of the drops did and in fact after trying and failing with every box on the shelves of the drugstore, I think it only heightened my anxiety. I was really left thinking, "I AM SCREWED." But the truth is, I was not, and you're not. You just need to find a new, good doctor and a regimen that works for you.

Have you tried Dwelle, that is available on this board in the shop?

Do you do warm compresses and gland expressions?

What supplements are you taking?

Are you taking anything for the anxiety related to the dry eyes?

Through this board I assembled a regimen that works for me and now my days are no longer consumed by my eyes. Find a different doctor, try out some tips on this board, and you'll get to a place that's tolerable.

- Rose

[Rebecca Petris]

Don't accept the answer that nothing can be done. Please seek out a new doc.

I agree with both of these pieces of advice. I understand the drive to get treatment from the clinic that did the surgery (it is absolutely right that they should take responsibility for care of complications) but you're getting terribly inadequate treatment and getting good care should be the priority.

I think that in this kind of post-surgical situation it may help to set aside the whys & wherefores of the dry eye (to the extent possible) and just focus on your care needs... and in that sense, approach your current doctor as you would any other: If after making a diligent good faith effort to work with the doctor (which may include doing a lot of homework on the right questions to ask and also bringing additional treatments to their attention... most of us have had to do that), they are not helping you, it's time to either ask for a referral to someone better equipped to treat you, or go find someone yourself.

p.s. I understand about the anger. I've been through it too. In my case I was forced to find a new doctor less than 6 months after my surgery because we moved to England at that time. It was really good for me because it meant I wasn't carrying as much emotion into the office of my new doctors.

[Guest]

I thought of some other odds and ends...

Cold compresses are fabulous for soothing your eyes when irritated... if at work, even just going to the washroom to splash ice cold water on closed eyes feels great...

Since you use a comp, try installing workrave on it... it will remind you to take breaks that you can use to rest your eyes... I've set mine to make me take a break for 30s every 3 min... it sounds like such a small thing, but it helps.

Purchase some good wind blocking sunglasses for outdoor use... the kind with a foam liner to block 100% of the wind... I use Wiley X's and they make a huge difference. Also, when indoors, even if only when at home, wear them...or buy a pair with clear lenses... an inexpensive option is Rebecca's onion goggles. Doing this has made a huge difference in my level of comfort.

[sanna]

Thank you all so much,

I have tried every drop i can find and there is only one that i can use but that is better than nothing right?! I have actually been to another doctor but she is in a city 4-5 hours away by train and she gave me a steroid that i am going to use for one mounth (or 2). I think that doctors that are doing this type of surgey should know a little more about dry eyes.

I would love to try Restasis. Some says it works. Do you get more tears when you use it?

I do not take any medication for anxiety. I do not think i need that right now (but who knows in the future) i know that it can cause more dry eyes

I do not do any compressoins on my eyelids i just wash my eyes. I guess that is something you need to do because of all drops and things.

I am not taking any supplemants. Do you feel better when you do?

I will absolutly try to ask for an referral. I guess my emotions (right now) is not good for the lasekclinik but at the same time i want the doctors at the clinic to know how to treat dry eye.

The thing that actually makes me sad is that it feels like i have to use sunglasses all the time now. It is ironic, I had lasek because i did not want to use glasses and now i have to use sunglasses hmm...
I hate and love my sunglasses.

[Sammy B.]

Sanna,

If you've found a drop that works, stick with it! If the drop alleviates your dry eye symptoms, then keep using it. If the drop doesn't alleviate the symptoms, on the other hand, I wouldn't use it. Putting drops into your eyes that aren't helping is NOT better than your natural tears, in other words. The old adage "something is better than nothing" doesn't apply here (in my opinion).

Restasis is not for everyone. I believe it is targeted at people who have inflammatory dry eye. I do not have inflammatory dry eye so it would not help me (I am post-LASIK). Your doctor could give you more information on that.

Supplements are huge in this battle with dry eye. Especially if you are a vegetarian, pescetarian, or avoid particular foods (other than junk food of course!). If you are interested in reading my laundry list of supplements, please send me a private message. I won't post it here and bore everyone else!!

Warm compresses really help me. When I do 2 of them in the morning plus a lid/gland expression using q-tips, followed by olive oil around the eyes, I am feeling pretty darned good. And the results last for hours.

Let us know if you have any questions. This board is a great place to get some good tips!!

- Rose