Tearing epsiode every 2 months. What should I do?

[atomarchio]

Have had dry eye for about a year now. However, my strange situation is that I only get the tearing in the LEFT EYE ONLY. I have never worn contacts and never had lasik eye surgery.

My situation is that I start tearing for about 4-5 days and things go back to normal. Doctors say it is "dry eye" syndrome. After the 5 days, my left eye goes back to perfect again. About 2 months later, the tearing begins again. I've used Restasis and artificial tears for about 9 months but that has not helped.

Doctors have seen me perfect condition and then with all of the tearing and they don't do anything.

I've been to 2 doctors and now a Corneal specialist at Cole Eye who is not helpful at all. Her solution is to put in a contact lense (without a prescription) to stop the tearing when it happens. This seems to be the best they can do.

Where do I go from there? Can anyone give me a suggestion? I am at a complete loss.

[liz56]

Dear atomarchio,

I am sorry to hear about this problem. May I ask you a homonym question? Do you mean "tearing" as in the salty watery emissions from the eyes that run down the cheek as in crying or "tearing" as in rending or ripping of the cornea" Of course, "tearing" (rending) can cause "tearing" (crying). (Fun with English.)

I have a problem with my corneas sticking to my eyelids and rending upon opening my eyes. If you have this problem and if it occurs largely in the morning upon waking or in the middle of the night, you may want to ask your corneal specialist about "recurrent corneal erosions." A lot of us here have them or have had them, and we have a forum on this board when we discuss how we cope with this problem.

If the problem is tears, you may want to read the posts on punctal plugs, sometimes they not only "plug" to hold tears but can help to drain. My niece had a problem with a single, inexplicable tear that would run down out of one eye. After she saw a doctor, he inserted a plug that helped it to drain properly, and it resolved the problem.

I hope that you find relief soon!

--Liz

[atomarchio]

Yes, tearing as you have described running down the cheek. And I already have the temporary plug in my left eye. I forgot to mention that.

I had been reading about "recurrent corneal abrasions" and it does sound like my situation. However, the specialist said she was not ready to diagnose that just yet.

So I apparently just have to suffer until the so called specialist is ready to do something.