alternating symptoms

[Mawsky]

Does anyone else have days where their eyes feel like they are doing so much better? I have days where my eyes almost feel normal, I will only put drops in occasionaly and can get through a night at work without running to the restroom to but in gel, or sitting at the desk adding drops, then have a dreadful period, right now thats happening to me, and I think that I've had this problem all along (Im new to this) at first I blamed it on the Restasis, because it is irritating, and only med I'm using in eyes. I would almost say that something is obviously flaring up my eyes, In the mornig I have goop, but I have almost no tears (a tad bit better since Restasis) I do notice that when I'm feeling more comfortable I have less swelling, or puffyness around my eyes. Is this the normal thing for DES? When I have Mucous strings in eyes, is that my MG's opening up? or is it something else? I asked the eye doc and he said I had the stringy tears I had before I developed Severe dry eyes was because I wasn't making enough of the wet part of tears...everything is so confusing, just wish I had more answers so I could help myself.

[eyes78]

I totally have good days and bad days and sometimes I have no idea why. I can come up with some POSSIBILITIES, such as:

-not drinking enough water
-super dry and/or windy outside
-high pollen count
-lots of computer use
-forgot to take my fish oil
-not doing my warm washcloth compresses enough
????

I'm sorry you're going through this. Good luck finding a consistent solution.

[Mawsky]

I totally have good days and bad days and sometimes I have no idea why. I can come up with some POSSIBILITIES, such as:

-not drinking enough water
-super dry and/or windy outside
-high pollen count
-lots of computer use
-forgot to take my fish oil
-not doing my warm washcloth compresses enough
????

I'm sorry you're going through this. Good luck finding a consistent solution.

Thank you so much! The days my eyes feel good are so wonderful, I almost think that they might just get better one day like they turned bad. How are your eyes doing over all?

[eyes78]

You're welcome! I hope it helps. Our bodies are tricky complex things. It can be so hard to know and/or predict how they will act. Very frustrating.

My eyes were doing GREAT until a few months ago when I started having trouble with stringy tears (I actually posted a thread about that today).

But I went through a long time where my eyes were really bad all the time.

[Mawsky]

Stringy tears

You're welcome! I hope it helps. Our bodies are tricky complex things. It can be so hard to know and/or predict how they will act. Very frustrating.

My eyes were doing GREAT until a few months ago when I started having trouble with stringy tears (I actually posted a thread about that today).

But I went through a long time where my eyes were really bad all the time.

One interesting thing is I had been experiencing the stringy mucous tears for about a year or so before I developed the dry eyes, it was my only symptom, I had surgery on my punctum's about two years ago, and I thought that (this may seem gross) but I thought maybe it was coming from the enlarged punctum's now it seems from what I've been told that this was a symptom of not enough tears, but I could still cry tears, now that my eyes are so dry I do not have the stringy tears, when my eyes feel better, I've had a bit of the stringy mucous In my eyes, so I guess I'd rather have that. I'm considering surgically reversing the punctual surgery.

[y-gwair]

I do notice that when I'm feeling more comfortable I have less swelling, or puffyness around my eyes. Is this the normal thing for DES?

Yes, the swelling is probably related to inflammation of some kind, and so naturally they feel better when the inflammation subsides. As to exactly what is causing the inflammation, probably difficult to know as there are so many variables with dry eye. Whatever the underlying cause, it probably has it's own cycle or flare pattern.

The only way to track down possible causes for such fluctuations is to keep a diary for at least a couple of months, noting things like other medications, food or anything else you suspect might be a trigger, then look back and see if any pattern emerges. I've been doing this for myself; didn't reveal much for my eyes but I did notice that taking analgesics/ranitidine and extreme cold seemed to be really bad for triggering my dry mouth problems.

[Mawsky]

Yes, the swelling is probably related to inflammation of some kind, and so naturally they feel better when the inflammation subsides. As to exactly what is causing the inflammation, probably difficult to know as there are so many variables with dry eye. Whatever the underlying cause, it probably has it's own cycle or flare pattern.

The only way to track down possible causes for such fluctuations is to keep a diary for at least a couple of months, noting things like other medications, food or anything else you suspect might be a trigger, then look back and see if any pattern emerges. I've been doing this for myself; didn't reveal much for my eyes but I did notice that taking analgesics/ranitidine and extreme cold seemed to be really bad for triggering my dry mouth problems.

This is a great Idea, because I feel something must be going on, I have some concerns that it may be hormonal as this has been suggested by a doc, but I would like to know if it is something I'm doing or taking that may have a contributing factor. something a few years ago made my punctums occlude, the surgeon said he didn't know what, and that it was strange, with no answers, just more questions, I was great, so I thought for a few years and now this, I wonder now if the punctal surgery is to blame and it just took so long to show up, now we are concidering surgery to reverse the first, not too happy, but I have no tears at all now when I cry. thank you for the great advice.