Allergy problems

[SusieD]

Dry eyes are not bad enough, oh no - you need some allergies too!

My eyes are very red and itchy at the moment and Im not sure what to do. I do get itchy eyes from hayfever but its usually quite mild - Im thinking it might be affecting me more at the moment because I have lower plugs in?

All the drops contain BAC - and I dont want to use them (a lot of them also state dry eyes as a side effect and I really cant cope with that getting any worse!) I cant take antihistamines because when I took them last year I had horrible dry symptoms.

What else is there? Steroids work but Ive already had 3 courses this year and I dont want to risk causing yet more problems by continuing with them (0.5 pred).

Is cyclosporine helpful in allergy also?

Thanks.

[neil0502]

You're right: dry eyes DOES get boring after a while. Good to add something in ... just to liven things up.

I'm sorry you have another eye thing to deal with.

The only things I've seen (I don't think I have ocular allergies, so I haven't delved too deeply) are the Acular PF, which somebody (Kitty?) correctly pointed out is an NSAID, not an antihistamine, so ... dunno'

http://www.drugs.com/pdr/Acular_PF_O..._Solution.html

Or ... the Similasan drops ... that Scout said hurt, too

I would also wonder if--if your allergen is environmental--simply using periodic "eye washes" with saline, or more frequent instillation of your non-preserved lube drops would help.

I'm grasping at straws a bit here. I just feel badly that you've got yet another thing on your plate/conjunctiva, too.

All the best,
Neil

[Scout]

Or ... the Similasan drops ... that Scout said hurt, too

I should clarify. In my experience these last two weeks, Similasan Allergy drops actually felt quite soothing upon instillation. It's what happened later that seemed to be the problem for me. I experience a "rebound" effect after instilling most drops on the market. I do have an autoimmune condition (thyroiditis) that may be the cause of this, but it is an immediate surface inflammation. It may be an allergic reaction or something else similar. But there is an increase in discomfort, itchiness, dryness and redness. This happens with many, many drops, including Dakrina (which many people here use with great success).

This doesn't happen to everyone so I would still recommend trying the Similasan allergy drops, at least for a few days to see if they help. They are designed for "symptom relief" and not to prevent allergies like the prescription medications do.

There are different kinds of allergies that affect the ocular surface (explained to me by an allergy doc). There are systemic allergies that can affect the eyes (i.e., hay fever) and there are contact allergies (pollens, smoke, etc.,) that make contact with the ocular surface and cause a reaction. I think it helps to understand which type is affecting your eyes and which allergens are affecting you (as Neil wrote in his post) to determine which kind of treatment is best for you.

I haven't tried the saline wash but I have stepped up the NutraTear and will hope that this helps wash out the crud that I am allergic to. I guess the saline wash would be my next step to try.

Scout

[kitty]

My eye allergy problems really became noticeable after getting my lower plugs. It seems they trap in not only the tears, but everything else! Acular PF might be a good thing to try. Has anyone made any attempt to have a compounding pharmacy create a preservative free anti-histamine eye drop? A preservative free version of Patanol? Why oh why can't we get someone to hear us on this topic? I know why. BAC makes eyes more dry. Dry eyes use drops. The more BAC that is in eye meds means more sales of eye drops? These companies must be in kahootz?

[Scout]

My eye allergy problems really became noticeable after getting my lower plugs. It seems they trap in not only the tears, but everything else! Acular PF might be a good thing to try. Has anyone made any attempt to have a compounding pharmacy create a preservative free anti-histamine eye drop? A preservative free version of Patanol? Why oh why can't we get someone to hear us on this topic? I know why. BAC makes eyes more dry. Dry eyes use drops. The more BAC that is in eye meds means more sales of eye drops? These companies must be in kahootz?

Hi Kitty,
I posted on this somewhere deep in the archives. I even linked to some professional journal articles. There seems to be a difference of medical opinion on whether plugs can cause an increase in allergies or not.

I can tell you that in my case, lower plugs did seem to cause an increase in allergies. It went on for weeks until it seemed to get better. I found out at my next doctor's appointment that it got better because the plugs fell out.

Seems like we have an "association" here. Shall I write it up for a peer-reviewed study?

Scout

[kitty]

Sounds like a plan, Scout!

[Flick]

I emailed Leiter's pharmacy about getting a preservative-free vial of Alrex or Lotremax (ocular steroids) and they wrote back and said they can't re-mix with any of the newer steroids because of patent laws, but they can dilute them.

[kitty]

Zadator PF not available in the U.S.

I emailed Novartis regarding availability of the PF single use vials of Zadator. Here is the respose:

"Thank you for your interest in Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

We received your email and we appreciate you taking the time to contact Novartis. In regard to your question about Zaditor, this medication is available in 1 strength 0.25 mg/L (0.025%), in 5 mL plastic bottles."

Dang.....

[kakinda]

Well, if Novartis is able to produce PF Zaditor (called Zaditen over here... I know i use it everyday: 0.25mg/ml of fumarate ketitofen in a 0.4ml vial) ask them why they can't do it in the States... or why should American eyes suffer the aggression of preservatives?

Well, for once we have a better option in Europe (which enables me to avoid [O]patanol).

Keep asking until companies realise this is a serious issue for all of us...

I really wish we could all do the same regarding Alcon's Patanol (see my posts elsewhere on this site).

We're not asking for miracle drug but just common sense ... and eye drops that respect fragile eyes.
Take care,
Kakinda