Night time problems

[feemac]

Hi, this is the first time I have posted on this site (or any other!) so please forgive any mistakes/posting in wrong part of the thread etc!
I am a 40 year old female from the UK, and have had dry eyes for nearly seven years now. Initially doctors diagnosed a corneal abrasion, then when the problem never went away it was blepharitis, sicca syndrome, related to my eczema etc etc (basically, they don't seem to know!) I have been told my tear quality is very poor, but that punctal plugs would not help as my eyes vary between being very dry and then watering profusely. Basically, my eyes always feel uncomfortable, and at times are very painful. This has been every day for 7 years, and is getting me down!! I very rarely manage a whole nights sleep as I wake myself up rubbing them (despite trying wearing gloves, eye masks, tranquil eyes, rice baggies etc). I wear glasses through the day in an effort to protect and make itching a little less easy, and can struggle through with artificial tears (very occasionally have to resort to prednisolone minims but try my hardest not to as am so aware of potential risks). However, night is my biggest problem as I rub and scratch in my sleep, and was wondering if anyone had any ideas for anything that is easy to sleep in but very hard to remove!! Any ideas gratefully (very!) recieved!!
Thank you

[peepers]

you need to go back & see your eye doctor.Im no expert but i do know that rubbing your eyes can cause more damage.They need to establish whats causing the itching then it can be treated.

I've read a few things on this site that the eyes can heal themselves at night so if you can get a good nights sleep,without itching or rubbing,then im sure your eyes will start to look & feel better

[Rebecca Petris]

Hi there and welcome. I'm sorry you've been struggling with this so long!

However, night is my biggest problem as I rub and scratch in my sleep, and was wondering if anyone had any ideas for anything that is easy to sleep in but very hard to remove!

This is a tough challenge, similar to what people with 'floppy eyelid syndrome' face. Do you sleep on your back, side or stomach?

I think my main two suggestions would be 1) taping (I know it's awful, but there are some tapes that are more comfortable than others) or 2) post-lasik goggles. I have an example of one of these in my shop at http://www.nexternal.com/tdec/Product23. I've got several people using those regularly who have not been able to use other night products. You may be able to get something like this locally from an ophthalmologist who does lasik and cataract or optometrist who manages patients who have had those surgeries. There are several types of lasik goggles around but the big clunky one in the shop is the only one I've personally tried that I found had comfortable enough foam for repeated use (though there are probably more out there that I haven't tried) and it's certainly the hardest to remove of any night product I've tried. It's be no means great and the foam isn't terribly durable but I've found it fits a niche need for people who can't wear the other products due to them coming off too easily. You could probably stuff it with a moistened foam pad if needed.

I know a handful of people who sleep in onion goggles (ouch, but if you sleep only on your back it might work) or other true goggle products.

[Rebecca Petris]

p.s. Next Friday (Jan 22) we're going to have a chat session on night eyewear. It's late your time - 12:30 in the morning - however if you join the chat notification group which is the second one at this link:
http://dryeyezone.com/news/bulletinsubscribe.html
then you could check the transcript afterwards. Might pick up useful tips from other users there about little known products.

[liz56]

Feemac,

I'm sorry to hear that you are going through this. I am a night sufferer as well. Is it possible that maybe you're rubbing your eyes, because you're having recurrent corneal erosions? They are like corneal abrasions, but they keep happening at night. I would awaken to terrible pain and uncontrollable tears when I had them. I have since done lots of things to try and keep them at a minimum, one of which is wearing Tranquileyes goggles at night.

I like Rebecca's suggestion of the post-lasik goggles.

Keep us posted on how you fare.

--Liz

[feemac]

Thank you!

Hi all,

Thank you very much for the replies to my post - I have an appt at the eye clinic next month so will definitly mention the corneal erosion possibility. I have actually just ordered the escape mask from the dry eye shop, so am hoping that as it said it was a bit tighter, it may be harder for me to remove! I did look at the onyx eye covers, but a few reviewers mentioned it seemed to leave rings on the skin around it, and I think having red eyes is bad enough without adding to the effect with rings circling them!
My eyes can flare at any time, seems to be very little rhyme or reason. Definitly worse later in the evening though, so will probably try and work out how to look at the forum chat you're having on fri night the next day, thanks for letting me know about that. The other thing that I forgot to mention is that I get lots of (sounds disgusting, sorry) stringy bits in my eyes, bits that just float on my eyeball. I did look at some of the threads on your site and it seems to be fairly common problem - just wondering if anyone knows why this should be. What I would love is for a doctor to examine my eyes, give me a defintie diagnosis and the treatment to solve it (as I'm sure, would everyone!) It's the not knowing what it is, and therefore not knowing the best way to treat it that I find so frustrating.
Sorry about the rant, thanks again for replying

[feemac]

lasik goggles

Sorry, after posting followed the link to the post-lasik goggles (am so desperate, will buy them if there's a possibility they may be my miracle cure, even though haven't even tried the escape mask yet - how much money have I wasted over the years on things which "might help"!) - however, the link said the item wasn't available any more - am I doing something wrong? (I have managed to sign up for forum chat updates though, so obviously doing something right!)