My Problem

[dryeyepete]

Hi everyone!

Firstly, I would like to say what a great help it has been to find this website. Knowing I’m not alone in my problem makes me feel a lot better

My eyes are fine throughout the day (although they are VERY red for the first hour or so since I've woken up, and sometimes I can be sensitive to light outside), but at around 6 or 7pm, my eyes seem to just completely give up on me and become very sore/strained/tired and I am unable to watch TV or use the computer for more than 10 minutes without it becoming unbearable. I usually just end up in bed by about 8pm…

I’ve had this problem for just over a year now. At the start, I noticed changes in my eyes over a 2 week period – I saw veins appear where there were no veins before, and my eyes were becoming increasingly tired/sore/etc… I have no idea what started this condition, I didn’t change anything about my life/routine, it just came out of the blue. I seem to remember first experiencing dry eye the morning after going to the cinema the night before – could this be relevant?

I’ve been to the doctor many times, mostly being told to use over-the-counter drops. One doctor thought it may have been blepharitis – but having looked at pictures of blepharitis on Google images – I have none of those crusty, sticky features. Although it can sometimes feel like my eyelids are swollen, especially my bottom eyelids. From just looking at my eyes, you can’t really tell there is anything wrong (except in the mornings). I’ve stopped using the over-the-counter drops recently as they haven’t made any difference. I’m not taking any other medicines.

Is it a common complaint of dry eyes to only be affected in the evening? Are there any possible causes as to why my eyes are OK during the day, but suffer at night?

Is it normal to wake up with very red eyes? I have a lot more veins in my eyes when I first wake up, most of which fade away after 15mins, and the redness decreases. Could this indicate something about my sleeping arrangement? I always get enough sleep, at least 8 hours a night.

Could dry eyes be brought on by an allergy or some sort? Perhaps I am allergic to my clothes washing powder, or dust mites in my bedding – I have no other allergy symptoms, like a runny nose for example. Is this a possibility?

Thanks.

[liz56]

Hi, Pete.

It could be allergies. Does the tired feeling, the feeling like there is no other option than to close your eyes, only happen when you are home or is it really only the time of day?

Your symptoms sound like mine. I have terrible dryness in the night, in the morning, and, then, my eyes just feel "tired" at the end of the day. Through the day, things are better. Genteal Gel at night helps me a lot. I also use Dwelle, sold here at this website throughout the day (largely not because I really need it but to prepare me for the night). A similar product is sold in the UK as Clinitas Ultra 3, and it is not through this site. You may want to check out those products and give something like a humidifier at night or some other kind of night protection, like a mask or goggles, to help your eyes to stave off the dry feeling in the mornings.

--Liz

[bernmee]

I can't help you about your allergies question but I want to let you know that you can have blepharitis without having eyes that look like those on the pictures on google. I do. In fact I have perfect looking eyes, but one is sooo painful 75% of the time, and my eyelids hurt to touch. My other eye is perfect.

If you do have blepharitus then you need to work on getting that oil out of the glands. Get the rice baggy that is for sale through the dry eye store, heat it up, put it on your lids, then masage and "scrub" your lids. It is a simple process, see if it works.

Also start taking Omega 3 oils also.

I don't think you would be doing yourself any harm by using pres. free articial tears every couple of hours. I was using Systane but stopped as I hated how they felt in my eye. I am now using refresh plus. I couldn't imagine not using them now. They don't help when I'm in pain but it just makes sense to be using them. I also use Dwelle twice a day, for sale in the dryeye store.

As you are doing this keep looking at other ways to improve you "eye care" regime, I think a lot of us have a few methods going until we find what works for us.

Good luck,

Bernadette

[Chevy Nick]

Pete,

We seem to have almost exactly the same symptoms. I was officially diagnosed with Blepharitis and MGD about 6 months ago (My optometrist thought I was crazy). A couple of recommendations:

1) Start taking an Omega-3 supplement, I recommend barlean's omega swirls.

2) It took me awhile, but I finally got to an ophthalmologist who got me a prescription for doxicycline. It made a substantial difference. 100mg a day seems to be the magic amount, but you might have some negative side effects.

3) Get a rice baggy and Dr. L'atkany's book 'The Dry Eye Remedy'.

4) If you use an over the counter eye drop, I found preservative free to be the most agreeable. Genteal gel is the best for overnight use, it seems to last long enough for night time use.

5) I haven't tried azasite yet, but I'm going to talk my doctor into a prescription.

MGD is a tough problem to beat, but you're not alone.

[Plat]

Hi Chevynick,

What symptoms did the Doxy help with?

Thanks

[Chevy Nick]

Hi Chevynick,

What symptoms did the Doxy help with?

Thanks

I took it for 3 months and after about 6 weeks my eyes felt 'normal' when I woke up in the morning, as opposed to inflamed, dry, and irritated before I took doxy. It substantially improved my MGD symptoms. I switched over to minocycline to see if that worked any better, but I'm going back to doxy when this prescription is finished.