HORMONAL related DRY EYES besides LASIK - Interesting Information

[browneyesblu]

Dear Browneyesblu-
I think I've found the article you're talking about. It's a small study but mentions the 91% success rate. I'm a believer. I hope you'll post what happens at your endo appt. If hormones are suitable for you, he'll probably rx. I'm 65- I think chances of my getting something like this are minimal, but there is an internist/alternative med. dr. not too far from where I live that might be worth a visit. Good luck to you

I hope you're right about the endo! I think you should call the doc you mentioned and good luck with it. More evidence, Dr. Korb in Boston lists the root causes of MGD in his lectures, hormonal imbalance is #2. So here is one eye doc (and a very well-respected one) who believes there is a connection.

[bunnyrabbit123]

Dear Browneyesblu-
I think I've found the article you're talking about. It's a small study but mentions the 91% success rate. I'm a believer. I hope you'll post what happens at your endo appt. If hormones are suitable for you, he'll probably rx. I'm 65- I think chances of my getting something like this are minimal, but there is an internist/alternative med. dr. not too far from where I live that might be worth a visit. Good luck to you

[browneyesblu]

DCRdryeyes, yours is the first report I've seen of the T cream helping, its encouraging. Thanks for posting it and I hope your luck with it continues.

The link just takes you to the contents page of Review of Opthalmology, a publication for the profession (I just tried it again), I doubt there is any malware there. I just can't get it to go to the specific article I was viewing. Something else must be misdirecting your computer.

[DCRdryeye]

browneyes thanks for the link and the research. I can't get it to open and my computer stopped some malicious malware on it. But at least we all know that hormones play a vital role in dry eye and MGD. Mawsky asked how am I doing with the Testosterone eyelid cream. Well, today I was driving to the gym and forgot I was wearing my "onion goggle". I'd NEVER where them out of the house...so I took them off and said to myself, "Bugger it, I'm not going to turn back and waist time in my day because of these dam eyes" plus I was already running late. The gym have ceiling fans going so not the best environment.

Well, to my surprise I handled the gym okay. But after about two hours my worst eye with the LARGE PUNCTA started to get very sore. Now was I able to cope with the environment without the moisture chambers because of the T cream or the fact I had duraplugs inserted 3 weeks ago? Well, it's difficult to tell, duraplugs dissolve and never really have helped to a large degree so I am putting my bets on the testosterone cream.

[browneyesblu]

Link to article about hormones & dry eye

http://www.revophth.com/content/d/therapeutic_topics

Sorry for some reason the link isn't working. I googled hormone + dry eye and found this article. Quotes clinical trial at Harvard using estradiol estrogen and testosterone, with 91% success rate.

[DCRdryeye]

Ok- so what does an endo do for hormonal deficits? DCR, who prescribed the T-cream you are using? Are you using it on the lid area?

What does an endo do for hormonal deficits? to answer this question you need to know the difference between synthetic hormones and 100% identical hormones your body makes and that's what biodenticals are. Many hormones like Thyroxine, Vasopressin, etc may not be available as bioidenticals so endo's access what they can.
Endo's are also influenced by the Big Pharma. The problem is big pharma can't make a profit from compounding, because if the product is identical to your body it's not NEW and they cannot patent it. So what they do is they get natural estrogen and change it's biochemical structure slightly and suddenly it's new molecule (synthetic) they can patent and make money from. However even just a 'small' change to a natural molecule can create a myriad of side effects.

[browneyesblu]

Browneyesblu/DCR
I think there's a lot to the low T dry/ eye theory too but getting anyone to help with that has proved difficult. Some time ago I asked my gyn about doing blood work and she said 2 things, she couldn't use blood work because hormone levels flucuate throughout the day and she would be reluctant to prescribe any supplementation to me because of possible cardiovascular problems it might cause. I think she just didn't want to go there. Are you looking for something you would apply to the eye area? There's a practice near me that's using "bio-identical pellet therapy" inserted under the skin in the hip area. My hair and skin have gotten much drier over the last 2 years. I hope you'll let us know what happens with this endo appt.

I guess every doc is different. My gyn prescribes bio-indenticals. He ordered the blood work for me and also recommended a compounding pharmacy. I called the endo's office to make sure they could use that pharmacy and they said yes, so this endo at least has no problem with bio-identicals. The reason I'm not having my gyn do the prescribing is I want to see someone with specific knowledge of dry eye. You just have to find the right doctor. And yes, you can go to a bio-identical clinic, they are all over the web. The drawback there is they don't take insurance so it can get expensive. I called a few before seeing my gyn and they wanted upwards of $400 just to do the blood work. Also again there is the dry eye expertise issue. Good luck!

[DCRdryeye]

Hi all, I'm in Australia so the doctor I see for bioidenticals would be too far for you. But the good news is they are everywhere in the USA. Endocrinologists are against bioidenticals and I wouldn't bother with them. A Naturopath can't prescribe bioidenticals..only a medical physician can do that. I'll give you an example, here is the place I go to in Australia http://www.wellmed.com.au - you need to find an integrative clinic and can find one like I attend. Simply look up google in you area 'bioidentical hormones naturopaths", etc... I took all the research in with my about the Testosterone cream. There are many of these wonderful state of the art clinics. You are not just another number on the conveyer belt. They treat you for at least an hour and check hormones and other diagnosis that your doctor would not even know about. It's not quackery, I've been there, seen the diagnosis and the results from treatment.
Just wanted to mention I have a friend born without a pituitary gland and he has that Testosterone pellet injected into his buttock every 6 months. It's a synthetic hormone.
I haven't been on Testoterone cream long enough to notice a difference but feels good using it because it moisturizes the eyelids. My ophthalmologist who is very exited about T cream told me to continue for another few months and if it doesn't work he has a AsaSite script ready for me

[Mawsky]

Would love to know which doctor to see? We do have a naturopath in my area, I've never been to one tho, hope insurance covers, I've recently needed to change dr. Will be seeing an internist but have not seen her yet, will ask her about it when I do. Any thoughts would be helpful, don't want to start doctor hopping at this point.

[bunnyrabbit123]

Ok- so what does an endo do for hormonal deficits? DCR, who prescribed the T-cream you are using? Are you using it on the lid area?

[DCRdryeye]

Endocrinologists don't really use bioidentical hormones and those pellets that go under the skin are not bioidentical hormones. The real bioidentical hormones are compounded according to blood tests you have and the percentage is made up according to how much you need. I think you're seeing the wrong people.
I am using the "Testosterone eye cream", but don't know anyone else who's using it. Yes and it is very frustrating meeting older people who are fine with just a few OTC drops a day grrrr. Maybe they don't have MGD and it remains on their eye surface?

[bunnyrabbit123]

Browneyesblu/DCR
I think there's a lot to the low T dry/ eye theory too but getting anyone to help with that has proved difficult. Some time ago I asked my gyn about doing blood work and she said 2 things, she couldn't use blood work because hormone levels flucuate throughout the day and she would be reluctant to prescribe any supplementation to me because of possible cardiovascular problems it might cause. I think she just didn't want to go there. Are you looking for something you would apply to the eye area? There's a practice near me that's using "bio-identical pellet therapy" inserted under the skin in the hip area. My hair and skin have gotten much drier over the last 2 years. I hope you'll let us know what happens with this endo appt.

[browneyesblu]

DCRdryeye:

Do you know of anyone who tried the testosterone cream? Did it help?

bunnyrabbit123:

I meant blood tests for hormone levels. If they are low for whatever reason (and I agree with DCRdryeye about low testosterone especially and dry eye) it's the baseline the endocrinologist will use to plan treatment with supplementation.

[bunnyrabbit123]

Hi Blu,
Which blood tests are you referring to? At the outset of this nightmare, I had the usual blood work for thyroid & sjogren's. These came back negative.
DCR- I agree, but I live in a community where a lot of older women reside, so I thought I'd find someone who is going throught this too-when I mention this to them, they all claim that they're fine with OTC drops a few times a day, if they feel the need. Grrr!!

[DCRdryeye]

If you've had a surgically induced hysterectomy or simply natural menopause, obviously your FSH and LH are high and the other hormones are not balanced. There are tests and treatments available to bring them back to normality. Why do you think they developed "3% Testosterone cream" to rub around the eyelid margins? It's a lack of testosterone and without your ovaries or natural menopause...you'll be deficient in Testosterone and also Progesterone, DHEA and Estrogen. That's why many menopausal women develop dry eyes....HORMONES AND DRY EYE ARE DEFINATELY RELATED and the research is really honing into this now.