Upper plugs or Restasis ???? or both????

[jax8it]

I am now ten weeks post lasik and things have "changed". By change I mean drops really aren't effective anymore. I get relief maybe for about three minutes then my eye actually feel drier. At work, where the ac continually runs non stop, I can make it about three hours before my eyes begin to be irritated. At six hours my eyes are in hell. At this point I have to put drops, but again the drop only work for a couple of minutes and my eyes feels worse. As a result, I have to put drops in every 10-15minutes. I wore my onion goggles once to work and I will not do it again. I am a high school teacher. Here is the other "change",on the weekends at home or only in stores for may be a hour my eyes feel ok. They are still dry but not the burning and stinging I get from work. I do where my goggles more often at home but not all the time and I use no drops at home. I know my work environment is strongly affecting my tear composition. I feel if I could just produce more tears my work environment would be more bearable. I see tears in my eyes in morning and at home on weekends and this is when my eyes feel almost normal most of the time. I was just wondering I anyone had any experience with either that they would like to share. I have lower plugs which do not bother me and I think have helped retaining moisture on my eye. Any help would be appreciated.

[robster]

A lot of people find upper plugs help a lot, unfortunately I've had upper and lower ducts plugged and it hasn't helped me. As far as upper plugs and restasis are concerned you can use both together.

As your a teacher I'm not sure whether or not you would be allowed a humidifier in class as that is something that could definitely help your eyes retain moisture. Moisture goggles are on the whole ugly looking things and I can understand why you wouldn't want to wear them in front of a class of kids, unfortunately they are also the item that can probably help you the most in your situation.

[lulu]

Why not try some of the moisture chamber glasses that the shop sells? I know they are more expensive but at least you will not look like you are going to a fancy dress party! I have a pair of pink onion goggles that my 3 year old pleads for me to wear just so he can roll about the floor laughing!! The onion goggles fog up for me, so they are out. Some of the specs in the dry eye shop do look okay but I appreciate that you may want to try them first. The optitions in the UK sell sort glasses with vents in them, poss in the US? Texas must be very arid with the worst climate for dry eye.
Lulu

[jax8it]

Thank you robster and lulu for responding.
I actually used a humidifier at work today. It helped somewhat. I can not take this burning and stinging eyes anymore. I feel so helpless. I am only 2 1/2 months out. I can barely cope. How do y'all make through?

[SunshineinCalgary]

Hang in there jax8it We're all in the same boat. Thanks for LASIK !!!!!!!

When I had both upper and lower plugs AND Restasis, it surely helped. But just Restasis alone or plugs alone are NOT good enough for me. Other people may have a different experience.

Some people also try taking Restaisis 4 times a day and seems to be working.

[DCRdryeye]

I tried Restasis 4 times a day as recommended by my opthal but couldn't handle it so I'm on twice a day. I've been on Restasis for about two months now, haven't noticed much difference and that's not unusual, apparently it can take up to 6 months to work? If at all. I've read that it helps improve tear quality, so it's best to go for plugs after being on Restasis for several months. The theory is that plugs retain more tears on the eye surface, and there's no point having "poor quality" tears retained on the eyes. So using plugs "after" Restasis, you'll have better quality tears remaining on the eyes for longer, thus it will feel better and be healthier for the surface of the eye.

[DCRdryeye]

Jax8it, I endorse lulu's suggestion of the moisture chamber glasses. I've had to remain all day in heavily air conditioned rooms whilst attending lectures and without the moisture chambers I could not stand it. Sure, they look a little "goggley" and at first, I was embarrassed to use them and just kept applying drops every few minutes. But applying the drops interfered with my concentration and I got sick of people asking what was wrong with my eyes. The drops were useless anyway, they only gave about five to ten minutes relief. When you're in so much discomfort, who cares how silly you look with moisture chamber glasses!! So I got over it. I'm currently fooling around with sclerals lens fittings, restasis and will go for smart plugs after I've been on Restasis for several months. There are a lot of choices Jax8it, explore them all and things will get better

[jax8it]

Thank you all for responding. This site has been a godsend. I can log on and communicate with people that actually understand the pain and discomfort I am going through, both physically and mentally. No one in my family or my group of friends understands this "dry eye" thing. My husband sees me cry everyday. He told me I have to start living my life again. How? Like this is just something I can overcome on my own. This has been like living in a nightmare that I inflicted on myself all to make my life simpler. What a joke!
Back to the lasik center on Monday for another appointment where the doctor will tell me to keep using drops as needed and that it could take three to six months for the nerves to heal. Monday will be five days away from three months, so I guess the doctors will start saying six months to heal.

[Hopeful2]

Hang in there . . . I too cried every day in the first several months following my surgery. I didn't know how I could possibly get through it all. It did seem like a nightmare, for sure. At ten months post lasik, I can say that it does get better. The eyes start to improve and you do get a sense that there is a light at the end of this tunnel of darkness.

You are right to feel frustrated, angry and sad. Do be gentle and patient with yourself. Indulge yourself in relaxing activities. Try to experience these moments of relaxation, however brief they might be. Gradually these moments will grow into longer and longer moments. I believe that it is through relaxation that our bodies are able to heal.

I know it is easier said than done. And of course telling yourself that you need to relax can be even more frustrating. When I started with trying to learn to relax, I found a lot of comfort in listening to a CD on meditation. I came to look forward to this time before bed when I would fall asleep listening to these gentle messages about relaxation. Others get benefit from going on a medication. What helps you to relax really ends up being an individual choice.

[MikefromsouthNZ]

Hi. I'm sorry to but in but on your profile it shows that you have got moisture chamber goggles.

Can I ask what type they were and did they work..? I'm in a sticky situation here as my hand and fingers don't work for me, as I have a disability called CP..

Because I can't get eye drops or eye ointments in my eyes myself, the idea of moisture chamber goggles looks like it might be an option for me... The idea is to keep my eyes from dying out after my goggles are put on, but I'd need to have them with the elastic head strap to hold them in place...

Any chance of you replying with your experiences with moisture chamber goggles/glasses, as I'm kinda clutching at straws now..?

Thanks heaps - Mike from New Zealand

[Hopeful2]

Hi Mike,

I'm not sure if it is me that you have addressed your question about moisture chamber goggles, but I will go ahead and answer

I have used moisture chamber goggles and glasses from time to time. I certainly were glasses when out in the wind. In the early days post lasik, I did notice a difference with the glasses. Now I don't notice much of a difference when I wear them, but MANY people here do benefit from them.

It wounds like you have some difficulty with inserting drops. There are some things that I think you could try:

1. Moisture release eyewear. I couldn't find these on the DEZ shop, but maybe I didn't look well enough. These glasses have a little reservoir that release moisture as you wear them, see link.
http://www.eyeeco.com/category/icate...unglasses.html

2. Some people use an eye mist spray. It acts similarly to an eye drop. I'm not sure if it would be easier to manage than an eye dropper bottle.
http://www.naturestears.com/

3. There is also a product called, Lacriesert. It is a pellet that is inserted once a day, in the lower lid. It releases moisture throughout the day as it dissolves.
http://www.lacrisert.com/

4. Just an idea . . . have you worked with an occupational therapist yet? I would hope that they would be able to offer you some tools or suggestions around how to gain more mobility in general. Sorry if I'm stating a strategy you've already tried.

I'm not sure how many of the products I've listed are available in New Zealand. I would check with your local pharmacies. If not readily available they may be able to order in, or have other suggestions. Also, check with your eye doc. If a product requires a prescription (e.g. lacriserts), your doctor could get this ordered, even if not available in New Zealand.

Best of luck! I really hope some of these options are of help to you.

Hopeful2

[Cristi]

Hi
I m also post lasik did the procedure 7 months ago.....I bought Ziena Oasis from this site and surely they help a lot. They are amazing, the lenses are not fogging and with them I look almost normal
I use them at the office because of the AC and outside because sometimes it's windy.
With the glasses and the lower plugs I'm doing much better than I did in the beginning. I do not need to use any artificial tear anymore during the day just some gel before bed.
Hope this helps

[jax8it]

Thank you Cristi
I just realized you responded to this post. Thank you for the information.
Bianca